The ambition of Real Madrid is measured by the illusion of Athletic
MADRID, 23 May. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Real Madrid and Athletic Club will play this Wednesday (9:00 p.m./Teledeporte) at the Butarque Stadium in Leganés (Madrid) the second semifinal of the ‘Final a Cuatro’ of the Copa de la Reina 2022-2023, a duel where the The ambition of the Madrid team is measured by the enthusiasm of the Biscayan.
The second duel of the ‘F4’ brings together two teams with different traditions and history in women’s football. Real Madrid is practically a rookie after absorbing CD Tacón and finds itself before a great opportunity to win its first title, while Athletic is one of the pioneers and has been betting on this modality for a long time, with a philosophy very similar to that of the first men’s team.
In fact, the showcase of the Basque team can boast of already having trophies; Specifically, there are five leagues, although the last one dates back to 2016. Since then, he has lost some of his pace due to the strength of other rivals, but he knows that he is also facing a great opportunity in this format of a competition that always arouses great enthusiasm in Bilbao.
The team coached by Iraia Iturregi, a former player of this good period for the club, does not have the Cup on its list because it lost two finals, in 2012 against RCD Espanyol and in 2016, and on penalties, against FC Barcelona. Now, with a very young team and with the hallmark of Lezama, they will try to fight for a title again against the one designated as the favorite.
And it is that Real Madrid arrives at Butarque as the rival to beat after a campaign in which they have taken another step forward, but also with added pressure since that role was usually played by FC Barcelona, who is the rival that has crossed since landing in women’s football.
Alberto Toril’s team finished as runners-up in the Finetwork Liga F, ten points behind the Catalan team, nine ahead of Levante UD, third, and with a difference of 40 points over Athletic itself, which finished tenth. A theoretical great distance that this Wednesday will not count for anything in a match without a net for both.
The madridistas arrive at this ‘Final a Cuatro’ with good feelings, despite the fact that they closed the championship with a draw against Real Sociedad, the only game they have not won in the last seven and since their 1-0 defeat at the Estadi Johan Cruyff , although it has also left hints of doubt and that has forced them to come back on several occasions. In League F, two victories for the league runner-up, very clearly at Lezama (0-3) and more worked at Alfredo di Stéfano (2-1).
Iraia Iturregi warned in the previous one that they will have to work collectively and in defense to try to neutralize the offensive power of Real Madrid, personified in the Scottish Caroline Weir, the ‘engine’ of three quarters of the field forward. In addition, Athletic arrives with casualties in the center of defense due to injuries to Garazi Murua and Bibiana Schulze, plus that of Marta Unzúe.
DATASHEET.
–POSSIBLE ALIGNMENTS.
ATHLETIC CLUB: Quiñones; Hernández, Valdezate, Uriarte, Eunate; Zubieta, Oguiza; Elexpuru, Pinedo, Azkona; and Corres.
REAL MADRID: Misa Rodriguez; Andres, Souza, Galvez, Carmona; Zornoza, Toletti; Del Castillo, Weir, Caicedo; and Moeller.
–REFEREE: María Eugenia Gil Soriano (C.Gallego).
–STADIUM: Butarque.
–TIME: 9:00 p.m./Teledeporte.