Braking of Athletic to the Barça post Messi

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Barcelona left San Mamés with one point, but could lose the same, because they found an Athletic that lived up to what the game demanded.

Only a mistake in midfield prevented him from taking the victory and plunged Koeman's team into the post-Messi depression, which will end up arriving despite the promising sensations of the first day.

It was not the same team as then.

In Bilbao the non-parties of the Big Week are announced and in San Mamés the Barcelona of the non-Messi is presented, great too, like a Cathedral that will never again embitter dinner, afternoon tea or aperitif.

ATH

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BCN

AthleticJulen Agirrezabala, Balenziaga, Daniel Vivian, Íñigo Martínez, Lekue, Dani García (Oier Zarraga, min. 81), Unai Vencedor (Vesga, min. 66), Berenguer (Jon Morcillo, min. 81), Muniain (Nico Williams, min. 75), Williams and O. Sancet (Raúl García, min. 66) BarcelonaNeto, Alba, Sergiño Dest (Emerson, min. 81), Eric Garcia, Piqué (Ronald Araújo, min. 30), Frenkie De Jong, Busquets, Pedri (Sergi Roberto, min. 61), Braithwaite (Yusuf Demir, min. 61), Depay and Griezmann

Goals1-0 min.

49: Íñigo Martínez.

1-1 min.

74: Depay.

Referee Juan Martínez Munuera Yellow cards Íñigo Martínez (min. 19), Eric Garcia (min. 27) and Alba (min. 75) Red cards Eric Garcia (min. 92)

On Pozas Street, the Athletic fans gather as if all those who walk there, and have a few beers before the game, had a guaranteed place in the stands, which is also not.

But those that do roar as if all of Pozas were inside, when their team chain three consecutive corner kicks, and sigh in chorus at the same time that Braithwaite sends a goal ball into the clouds after a play by Memphis. with Iñigo Martínez and he beats him.

And they roar again for the balls that Athletic steals in the pressure, for which Piqué, in a hurry and very fair, sends a corner to avoid greater evils; for Sancet's shot to the crossbar after turning around in the area, for the dispute between Williams and Èric García that Neto solves by covering the gaps. Athletic tightens and does not lower the intensity, and Barça wants to put peace, because two do not fight if one does not want to, but he realizes that this saying is not true, and if he continues like this he is going to be shorn, so he entrusts Pedri, who lacks freshness in the first part. Or Griezmann, a regular Athletic executioner, who moves from side to side even though no one sees him, dressed in violet.

De Jong, when he has space and can run, displays essences that remind him of the best Barça.

Only Depay stands out, because of his physique and because he is the only one who intimidates the red-and-white behind, who does not have too much work either.

Koeman's team is quickly diluted, emotionally touched by Piqué's injury, who continues to give orders from the bench as a moral reference that he is.

Only Barcelona is approaching the goal in a tangle in the area that Araujo of Chilean finishes off, after a youthful error by Agirrezabala, and that ends up in the net, but that the referee cancels due to a previous foul by Braithwaite.

Will another Barcelona come out in the second half?

It is the question, because in the first one he has barely been able to neutralize, with his midfield, the Stakhanovista work of Vencedor and Dani García, the deployment of Williams and Sancet.

But no, what comes out is a clueless team, which on the first play is about to concede a goal in an action by Williams in which the ball is loose and Berenguer, on an empty goal, shoots for Araujo to take it out on the line.

And the confusion continues, and Athletic finally scores, in a kick-off from the corner —thirteen by the Bilbaoans for two from Barça—, which Iñigo Martínez heads to the happiness of the parish.

A lo Aduriz, present in the box, applauded for the first time since his retirement from football.

Then yes, finally Barcelona decides to push Athletic higher, to try to box it between the four corners of its area, and scares De Jong with a pumped shot that hits the crossbar.

But it is only lethal in a counterattack that comes after an absurd loss by Dani García in midfield, probably melted by the effort.

Memphis is relentless with his dry, powerful shot, which enters through the only gap through which it can sneak.

Then another match begins, similar to the one at the beginning, but more open, because you can see the fatigue of the players, generous on both sides.

Barcelona's effort is appreciated, although perhaps Koeman's men are asked for a little more than other things.

Memphis is the only one that gives the note, the one that takes advantage of every slightest mistake by Athletic to disturb the new Agirrezabala.

In the end, the two teams seem to conform, although there is always a rebel, like little Williams, who already causes tachycardia on the Barça bench and the expulsion of Eric García, who knocks him down to the edge of the area.

Just.

There is a tie, San Mamés empties for the first time in more than five hundred days, Pozas is filled again and Barcelona returns to the post-Messi depression.

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