What does the patient need to improve? A visit from Athletic. It is not a joke, on the contrary. It is the ballast that accompanies lions in recent years. The aspirin team legend’s mantra is ratified by the numbers. What collides face to face with the much demanded regularity that you seek Marcelino. They are incompatible aspects if it is intended to be in Europe. Playing away from relegation teams is not synonymous with positive news for the rojiblancos, at least not since Ernesto Valverde left the bench of San Mamés in 2017.
Since then, in four full campaigns, in which the Athletic has been left out of the continental squares, the balance is terrifying. On eleven occasions he has visited squads in the burning and has only achieved one victory. The rest are five draws and as many defeats. In fact, the balance in the seven most recent trips is reduced to two points. And the four commitments of the past course before groups in distress were settled with defeat for the lions. Clear specialists in getting into trouble at the most unexpected moments.
A dynamic that he will try to throw into the air on Friday in front of a Levante that is penultimate and does not know the victory after thirteen days. After a hopeful start in which the Athletic he placed himself on pole to fight for the noble zone, now he faces an apparently more benevolent stretch of the calendar. But easy, nothing. For example, the slap suffered against a Cádiz that precisely escaped the decline in Bilbao.
Athletic visiting relegation teams
The sequence of last season was dramatic and, to a large extent, that explains why the rojiblancos were not in the fight for Europe until the end. On the fifth date, the Athletic visited a Alaves who was bottom with a point in his locker. Rodrigo Ely gave the first joy to the babazorros (1-0). A month later, the lions stumbled on the same stone. This time in Valladolid (2-1). The team was starting to give negative signals with Garitano and individual mistakes followed. For example, that of Unai Simon in the control that ended in a penalty on Marcos André on Zorrilla and from which it was 1-0.
The remaining two defeats were in the throes of the League, with Marcelino on the bench and with him Athletic outside the European equation. But acting as a judge of the descent. He did not do anybody’s job because he lost in Huesca (1-0) on matchday 36 and fell again in Elche (2-0) in the curtain drop of the season. The people of Elche entered the final ninety minutes in the burn and were saved thanks to their triumph and that the Huesca he didn’t do his homework.
Less traumatic were the two precedents for the 2019-20 financial year. Both ended in a draw. It didn’t even serve the Athletic stand as co-leader in Butarque on the sixth day. The Leganes scratched a point (1-1) despite the fact that Raul Garcia struck first from a penalty. Same result that the Biscayan squad signed in Weather in Cornellà (1-1) before a Spanish that would end up going down.
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The current seven-game winless streak against relegation teams began in Pucela in May 2019, on the penultimate date of League (1-0). The Athletic He held some European positions that he failed to defend, however the need for the Valladolid. The last time that the citizens of Bilbao did not use aspirin as a team was in Huesca (0-1). The people of Huesca were colistas and Raul Garcia imposed his penalty law on a frigid Monday night.
Also in 2018-19, but before, the Athletic matched with him Lightning (1-1) and with the Villarreal (1-1). On Vallecas was Berizzo leading the team, but in The ceramic I had already taken the reins Garitano. He even stood out of relegation in the visit to the yellow submarine in the match that started the second round. In 2017-18, the Málaga started the course with five losses in a row. The Athletic he won 1-3 in 80 ‘and the Andalusians were with ten. Well, it was the day they opened their locker (3-3).
On San Mamés It improves the statistics during this journey, although the reliability is not high either. The recent stumble with the Cádiz is the evidence. The Athletic they have received thirteen relegated teams with a record of six wins, four draws and three losses for their interests. At least on Friday he will have the opportunity against him Levante to shake off the mantra of being the team aspirin. A home doctor who cures the sick. This time the lions will try to delve into the granota wound.