Soccer is sometimes paradoxical and painful. The first team that wanted to return, a month before the rest, the one that boasted of having its members in full despite the limitations of the confinement, the one that opted to play and not be lazy to get LaLiga suspended and keep its fourth place turns out to be the worst to come back from the pandemic. In Anoeta, the state of alarm continues after two extremely disappointing games. This new normality enjoyed by citizens, the freedom to occupy the streets and cross some borders, is regrettable in terms of football.
And it is that the Real seems to have lost in 180 minutes everything that led him to be fourth and to the Cup final – now it seems that he is well postponed as things stand. He does not have hierarchy in the game, he lacks the precision necessary to overcome the lines, confidence to risk and he misses his best elements, especially Odegaard, which seems to be still confined. The joyful and resourceful game that has brought so many points has not passed to the next phase. In this scenario, the Real look much more at the teams that come from below, especially that Villarreal that has become unstoppable, than at the ambitious goal of being third that marked him Olabe.
Tomorrow's game against Real Madrid at Anoeta will mark everything. It is time for the Royal to return. Football did it a week and a half ago.
1. The changes continue without changing too much
The Real boasted of breadth of staff and perhaps another distorted image of reality turns out. For the second game in a row, the changes – in this case four at a time – little changed the scenario. There was some more intention with Lopez and the spark of For your, but in 30 minutes, not a single occasion. The system and the way of playing have given glory evenings, but they also enslave. There is no other way to perform.
2. Very soft in defense and in disputes
Alavés played with a point of intensity and ardor more than Real and that led him to win the disputes and especially those aerial duels, in which Joselu He was the winner 19 times. Imanol He had complained after the game against Osasuna that his team had made only four fouls. Before, Alavés almost tripled them, out of impotence, for being late.
3. Without Odegaard, the leads melt
Against Osasuna he had two Miuras on him, against Alavés he played with discomfort, the fact is that in 180 minutes Odegaard, the realistic star, has not contributed anything positive to the game txuri urdin. The Txuri Urdin hierarchy used to be born from the indisputable superiority of its midfield, but without Merino in Gasteiz and with Odegaard Wandering through the countryside, the Royal loses her powers.
Four . When the VAR becomes unbearable
Three minutes waiting, three, for an unexpected resolution, concretized in an image that, far from clearing doubts, feeds them. With that screen shot full of lines it is impossible to be clear that the heel of Zurutuza is further behind than the shoulder of Magellan. They don't even seem to take the shoulder as a reference. A video arbitration pitorreo.
5. Roberto López, first ‘foal’, leaves details
Very little of what happened in Gasteiz can be rescued as positive. Robert
Lopez, the first Sanse player to debut this season, brought fresh air, although he lacked continuity. He entered the field committed and took delayed positions to contact the ball, which played long. He had a worse time defending, like in the 2-0 play with Joselu.