Copa del Rey: El Bara, a frustrated team: “They already throw enough shit from us” | Copa del Rey 2019

Jordi Alba cries out against critics and points to Abidal: “He has been a footballer. He knows what is in a locker room”

• Chronicle
  

  Iaki Williams seals the great rebellion
  

Barcelona, ​​protagonist of a funeral with honors in San Mams, was sure what the speech should be after one of the most turbulent weeks of Josep Maria Bartomeu's term. The team had been competitive, had offered stretches of good play, especially in the second half, and little more could be reproached to the Quique Setin group that their scarce tino in the areas. Unai Simn saved goals against Griezmann and Messi, while Ter Stegen, in the only Athletic finish after the break, could do nothing after Sergio Busquets and Iaki Williams finished off goal when there was no remedy. Not even Piqu, who had had to leave the field before due to an overload, wanted to stir up any war in his passage through the mixed zone. Until Jordi Alba passed by and asked for peace. In their own way.

Questioned the lane of Barcelona for the open crisis after Eric Abidal, among other things, accuse the players of not trying too hard in training and being responsible for the dismissal of Ernesto Valverde, Alba did not bite his tongue. It rarely does. Those of us who are giving the face are the players and the technical body. They already throw us enough shit from the outside, so that we throw it between us. I did not conclude the side, which, as Leo Messi did, also pointed to Abidal, acquitted last Wednesday by President Bartomeu. He has been a player and that is why he has to know what is inside a locker room. You should know how a soccer player feels ….

Piqu, minutes before, had tried to calm the environment. This does not help anyone. Inside the dressing room the unit is maximum. Everyone knows what he has done well and what he has not. Putting things in our faces at the end of the season doesn't help. It is not time to take out the dirty rags. We have to focus on the game. Cheat. This club has always sustained itself in victory, and we have to return to that path. We players have plenty of capacity to continue winning. And in that we are. There is equipment left to conquer the other two titles that are still missing.

Barcelona, ​​despite the good tone shown in San Mams, was halfway again. His two best games this season, including the semifinal of the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia against the Atletico in the last game of Ernesto Valverde as coach, they concluded however in defeat. It is impossible to get away from the frustration in a limited team of troops behind the club's sports sports policy in the last sign-up windows, and that seems nothing to be enough to move on. Not even the sacrifice and the good game.

“I have not lost faith at all”

The Bara, which already fell in San Mams in August after another goal to the limit – on that occasion of Aduriz -, did not remain without disputing the semifinals of the Copa del Rey since the 2009-2010 season. Not only that. He had managed to pass the round in 37 of the last 38 crossings of the competition. But nothing goes well in a season in which the team, to the limit with the injuries of Surez and Dembl and the outputs of Carles Prez or Todibo, thank a certain rest with only two competitions ahead.

Who insists with his optimistic parliament is Quique Setin. He already said on the eve of the Copa duel that he had already had a hard enough life to be laid at first. Things from the north wind, which the coach loves to say. I have not lost faith at all. It is true that the result is the most important, but so are the sensations. And Barcelona has been quite superior. But the only one they had, they put inside. We do not, the coach of Barcelona, ​​who abounds: It is true that there will be people who only see the result. But I think we have taken a step forward.

Both the Barca coach and his players agreed to claim a penalty from Capa on De Jong after a push from the back of the Athletic player. I didn't see him because of the position he was in. But they told me it was a clear penalty. I guess the referee will not have seen it, Setin said. I completed it Jordi Alba with much more vehemence: Sincerely, within the field I thought it was not a penalty. I can understand the referee. But the VAR should have seen it clearly. If not, the VAR is worthless. I don't know how it works.