He FC Barcelona has drawn without goals against Athletic Club in San Mamés (0-0), thus taking a false step and wasting Real Madrid’s draw at Mestalla (2-2) to get closer to the lead. As if that were not enough, the Blaugranas suffered the injuries to Frenkie de Jong and Pedriwhich complicates the presence of the Dutchman and the Canarian for the next matches, such as the Champions League match against Naples in ten days at the Lluís Companys.
Xavi Hernández’s team did not measure up. The leader had opened the door in Valencia and Barça had the option in Bilbao of placing second, six points behind the leader, but the Catalans did not go beyond 0-0 in a match lacking in their important players. Athletic dosed after their effort in the Cupafter beating Atlético de Madrid last Thursday in the second leg of the semi-finals (3-0), and forgave a mediocre Barça that was far from giving excitement to the League.
The feeling of opportunity was fading little by little in the culés. The lions were not as fierce as other times, with the hangover of their ticket to the Cup final and with changes in their eleven. Nor did San Mamés roar like it did against Atlético, but Barça was soft at the start, uninspired, and on top of that they lost players. Xavi’s men did not shine in their midfield, with hardly any prominence of De Jong, Gündogan and Pedri, despite the fact that the canary appeared in the first minutes. It was Cancelo who posed the most danger for the visitors, but there was no decision in the Barça game. Thus, Athletic, who had opted to wait and go on the counterattack, found themselves in control of the ball for many minutes.
The lions They struck dangerously, especially on Berenguer’s left wing and also on the other side with Iñaki Williams. There was no clear chance for the Basques, but the feeling at half-time was better for an Athletic team that, even in dosage, barely suffered against a Barça that lost De Jong and Pedri on the way. The Dutchman left before half an hour with a sprained ankle and the Spanish international was out of action due to what appeared to be a new muscle injury.
The problems took their toll on a dense Barça. They entered Fermin and Lamine Yamalbut the best occasion was culé, a Cancelo’s very distant shot, with Unai Simón outside the goal and Yeray serving under the sticks.
Without a reliable midfield, Xavi’s team found themselves at the mercy of the Basques in the second half. Valverde’s men insisted on Berenguer and accepted the leading role in possession. Barça, forced to go ahead with the three points, barely connected a couple of times with a Lewandowski who did not have a single shot on goal.
Yamal, who claimed a penalty, did not create any danger on the few occasions he reached the rival area. 15 minutes from the end, Joao Felix It was Xavi’s last attempt to win the game, but the Portuguese was the reflection of a Barça without faith or intention to fight in this League that is still eight points behind. Meanwhile, Athletic, who forgave Dani García’s last goal, is five points away from the Champions League positions, which marks an Atlético that hours before defeated Betis with suffering at the Metropolitano (2-1).
Data sheet
Athletic Club, 0: Unai Simón; Prados (De Marcos, m.80), Yeray, Paredes, Imanol; Dani García, Vesga (Galarreta, m.63); Iñaki Williams (Adu Ares, m.76), Unai Gómez (Sancet, m.63), Berenguer; and Guruzeta (Villalibre, m.76)
FC Barcelona, 0: Ter Stegen Koundé, Araújo, Cubarsí (Iñigo Martínez, d.76), Cancelo; Christensen (Oriol Romeu, m.76), De Jong (Fermín, m.26), Gundogan, Pedri (Lamine Yamal, m.45); Rafinha (Joao Félix, m.76) and Lewandowski
Referee: Hernández Hernández (Las Palmas Committee). He showed a yellow card to the locals Dani García (m.52), Imanol (m.65) and Berenguer (m.86), and to the visitors Araújo (m.32), coach Xavi Hernández (m.33), Christensen (m. m.62) and Koundé (m.88)
Incidents: Matchday 27 played in San Mamés before 50,295 spectators. Official data. Several hundred visiting followers. Representatives of the Basque-Navarra Mountaineering Federation performed the kick-off for its Centennial
