Athletic Club – Real Betis: Ernesto Valverde’s men efficiency is questionable (1-1)

Athletic Club, unable to achieve checkmate, squandered an easy win at San Mamés against Real Betis. Clinicality is an art that the Basques players were lacking to come close to the Champions League spots.

Tactical analysis and match report by Achraf Lamdarhri.

There are two levels of competition in La Liga 2024/25. The first one is an orthodox rivalry between Barcelona and Real Madrid, whereas Atlético de Madrid joins the crew from time to time. The second one is a tense feud for Champions League and Europa League places between approximately nine teams. Two of them are Athletic Club and Real Betis.

Ernesto Valverde entered the game with Julen Agirrezabala in goal. Óscar de Marcos, Dani Vivian, Aitor Paredes, and Yuri Berchiche formed the backline. Íñigo Ruiz de Galarreta joined Beñat Prados in the pivot. Oihan Sancet played as a number ten, whilst the Williams brothers held the width of the pitch. Álvaro Djaló led the attack.

Manuel Pellegrini inducted Rui Silva between the posts. Marc Bartra and Diego Llorente constructed the core of the defense. Romain Perraud and Héctor Bellerín were the fullbacks behind Abde Ezzalzouli and Pablo Fornals. Johnny Cardoso and Sergi Altimira operated as double pivots, with Ezequiel Ávila and Vitor Roque as two strikers in the front line.

A hail of missed chances from the hosts

Athletic Club revealed their intentions of concentrating their efforts on targeting Real Betis fullbacks, setting their creative players in one-versus-one situations to take them on and play the cross. Ernesto Valverde allowed his front four players the freedom to interchange . . .