Marcelino: “This game shows us the way forward”

Athletic defeated Borussia Dortmund today from Erling
Haaland in Sankt Gallen. The lions have shown themselves to be a very solid team and have only given up one chance to the rival, although it is true that the Germans were missing the ten players who were in the Eurocup. Marcelino He was happy with the performance offered on the Kybunpark field. It may have been the day that he has been most satisfied. “We have been very good, very active again, reacting very quickly on the ball and on the rival and later when we had the ball, having a good reading when the rival squeezed. We had arrivals in the first half, we have generated a lot and the pity is that we could not finish a little more. We kept a very regular line during the ninety minutes. The team has been really good. It shows us the way to go without a doubt ”, he stated.

The Asturian has added that they have lacked something else at the time of finishing. “Maybe we missed giving that last pass or instead of doing control, we finished with a shot. But it is evident that the team arrived very well in those areas, with a lot of criteria in the completion and the rival practically did not generate anything for us. He created a dangerous situation for us that could have been a goal and could get ahead on the scoreboard. There we have to be a little more intense in the duels after a counterattack. It is a very powerful team in the offensive aspect, very powerful. That they have given us so few chances to score indicates the good job we have done ”, he added.

Regardless of victory, Marcelino it stays with other variables. “For me the most important thing is the level and attitude shown by the team and that we are taking steps forward in what we are trying to develop,” he said. “The team is progressing, without a doubt. We are defending well, high, we come out fast under pressure. When we are in high pressure, they seldom beat us and almost never down the inside corridor. We have good laps in terms of intensity and organization. We are good, in a good line. We need to improve. It's preseason, we have to apply concepts, we can't draw more conclusions either. The important thing is to win that first game, to show a higher level than today. Surely we are going to need it to win it, “he said regarding the first league match against Elche at the Martínez Valero.

Marcelino has also explained that the change of Nico
Williams by Nico
Highlander Right in the middle of the first period, it was planned in advance so that the two youth players had minutes: “We have too many players and we have to distribute minutes. This is what happened”.

In case of Yeray is different. Barakaldo's central defender had to be replaced by Iñigo
Martinez in minute 33 for a physical discomfort. “He had a little problem in his patellar tendon, which was what also made it impossible for him to do the first training sessions this preseason. We have to be careful in this regard ”, acknowledged the Asturian coach.