Athletic takes the derby to its home ground

Athletic's fourth consecutive victory at home in the most important Basque derby, no one is going to discuss it on both sides of the AP-8 because there is no debate. He was the owner from start to finish, with Sancet returning through the big door after the injury. It is starting to be a trend for the lions to look down on their neighbors in San Mamés: they are 9-1 since 2021-22. Stage fright? La Real, very predictable until the break, once again completed a lot of stingy minutes and their rival knew how to take the derby where they wanted, to their territory. A lot of craftsmanship, because without making a piece of jewelry it continues adding and adding. Other times he deserved three points and took only one. If that one aspired to the 'sorpasso' in the classification, it was left in the gutter, it is slowed down again after two victories, one of them against Barça no less, punished because it has very little in attack, it lacks edge, fangs, verticality . He lacks heart, daring, desire to break the rules. It's not even necessary, that pride that Le Normand and Merino had is missed. The reaction in the second half was very lukewarm. About 45 minutes more open, with better options, but Valverde sang a lullaby, knew how to slow down the pace, put the crash to sleep… and the points stayed at home, a tradition lately. Nobody likes to lose a game like this. They are fifth and looking to the Champions League, so few will remember that they won on a dull and ugly night, a pulse of minimal, rickety rivalry.

The clash between neighbors stretched with both registered in their own field, resting with the ball. Perhaps Athletic, being the one who set the field in the derby, was more determined to visit the enemy's goal. Nobody wanted to take risks or lose balls that would condemn the troops, so they eliminated the rhythm in the first half. There was furious pressure, but lower than in other commitments. Until the 15th minute there was no news from the goalkeepers. Sucic fired a bitten shot and then Djaló scored the first shot between the three sticks, which Remiro saved at grass level. The man from Madrid, again as a nine, was extremely motivated and tried again shortly after. He showed enormous vigor, pushing forward, fierce in search of glory and wanting to please the stands.

Imanol's team was losing aggressiveness, they barely sponsored the ball, whoever had it could not find passing lines, there was little support to perpetuate possession. Like other times, they gave the ball to the rival and waited for events, they fled from the limelight. Sergio was the most outstanding. La Real used the windshield wiper, fanned the ball with horizontal left-right and right-left passes without any significance, long possessions that were absolutely silent and the only thing that could lead to them was a loss and ruin. The lions, on the contrary, were becoming sharp, vertical. It was a matter of time. The 1-0 was knocking on the door of La Catedral. Prados touched him, but he hit the ball very badly. The attacking play did not die there, since the action greatly unbalanced Real. Nico struggled for possession against Sergio Gómez and Aramburu, and leaned on Prados, who returned it to him and near the baseline, the winger sent a very drizzled pass.

Sancet entered like a plane from behind and ate Javi López with an imperial headbutt in which Remiro could have done more. It is not easy for a player who runs backwards to nullify a physical prodigy like Oihan, whom the canary's radar did not detect at any time and that is why he won the position. In any case, the San Sebastian team had been very soft throughout the goal sequence. And Nico, stellar once again with his spark, unbalanced with his brilliant appearances.

The derby was still out of control. The locals, without being particularly brilliant, were better. The first half hour was very Bilbao. La Real, forced by the result, did not run until close to half-time and felt they had to go deeper. At the beginning of the second half he found more decibels in his transitions, the intensity increased, he began to associate and that gave him the generation of some game. Of course, once again Prados found the key to the big chances inside, with a new soft shot after a pass from Sancet that Remiro saved without breaking a sweat. The best chance for San Sebastián came in the 59th minute, an action by Sucic, with a center in the middle that Zubimendi did not finish in conditions and he even snatched a clearer shot from Sergio Gómez.

The changes folder had yet to be opened. La Real began to take the initiative and Valverde wanted to break that trend with fresh legs and impetuous people like Jauregizar and Unai Gómez from Bermeo. Sergio had a shot later. The preview of a somewhat more blue-and-white scenery. Because in the 78th minute, in a corner taken by the 17th himself, Oyarzabal finished off completely alone and brought shock to the audience. But really the clock was ticking and nothing much happened. Imanol said at the end that if he could have changed the 11 at half-time, but it turns out that he didn't even use up the five, he only relieved four. AND He crossed out Kubo who was one of the few who were saved from the burning. It was like committing harakiri. The script that the red and white team wrote was reflected on the green. So, as the derby cliché dictates, during the next week those who look at La Concha will have to put up with the jokes of those who look at the Nervión estuary.

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