Although some in the capital may find it painful, Imanol’s Real is already in the quarterfinals of the Cup. With everything and against everyone. Rayo Vallecano landed at the Reale Arena with 72 hours more rest than Real, who … He didn’t even notice the fatigue in his legs. It was better than the Vallecas team, much more effective, damaging and forceful in both areas to achieve a brilliant victory full of messages. This team is back, if it ever left. Seeing what was seen on the green, the night could have been even calmer after a doubtful and somewhat annulled penalty, but this group of kids is seventh in the league, in the quarterfinals of the Cup and with the possibility of reaching the top-8 in the Europa League on Thursday in May.
There weren’t too many surprises in the lineup and Imanol only thinks about the present. Whatever has to come, will come. Remiro won the game against Marrero, Barrenetxea played before Gómez and Olasagasti once again played a great game from the inside. He is the only player who has started in all the Cup matches and is earning a renewal that he does not have at the moment. If the first half against Villarreal on Monday was dull, last night against Rayo everything happened.
Kubo detected where the game was and did not stop facing Espino, surpassed from the beginning. The first “oops” came from the opposite side with a Sucic center that Zubimendi touched. Nobody appeared at the far post. Better. The usual one would appear later in that same space. Iñigo Pérez, with three more days of rest, shook the tree much more than Imanol with the entry, for example, of Pedro Díaz, who tested Remiro. The one from Cascante stopped in two stages without problems.
Almost undeserved except for an isolated volley from Aramburu that Cárdenas sent to a corner, a triangulation between stars ended in a realistic 1-0. Barrenetxea, misguided in his pass, threw Kubo well into space, who faced Baillu. The light touch to leave the side behind is within the reach of few footballers in the world. But on top of that he has enough class and nerve to place a low cross at the foot of Oyarzabal, who appeared out of nowhere with a lethal movement. The cold entered the fans’ bodies again when they put their hand on the same knee that was injured in March 2022. Luckily, the night was going to be round in every sense.
La Real stretched and in another play between three players, extended the advantage. This time it was Zubeldia who leaked inside, Oyarzabal left his face with judgment and Olasagasti scored his first goal with the shirt of the team of his life with a missile fitted to the post. “Who is it? Oh, hello, Jokin. Hernández Maeso, after two threats, scored the goal because there was no offside. He gave the impression that he also wanted to be the protagonist.
-It was in stoppage time with a very dubious penalty from Zubeldia, who didn’t even manage to kick Trejo. It is true that the playmaker won the space, but you have to be willing to give that penalty. This time there was not a single doubt. Remiro touched the ball but could not stop a maximum penalty to reach half-time ahead, but in a very bad mood for what was and could have been.
They’re coming!
Senegal
