Sevilla and Athletic Club played to a 1-1 draw at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán on Friday night, in a match that, for the hosts, was once again defined by a lack of offensive incision, despite enjoying dominance in possession. A second half own goal off the boot of Unai Núñez gifted the home side the […]
In an old-school duel of two teams trading long passes, Atlético’s domination of second balls and their superior talent allowed them to create the better shots, which ultimately turned into goals. In the second half, Athletic were unable to change the game state through substitutions, conceding more spaces on the counter for Atlético to exploit. […]
In a Basque Derby between two opposing styles of play, Athletic forced a technical, possession-based Real Sociedad side into playing long balls, causing aerial duels and fighting over second balls, which is exactly the game Athletic wanted. Despite Real’s substitutions and tactical changes to adapt to this tactical context and become more direct, Athletic still […]
During the first half, Athletic’s defensive scheme easily stopped Barcelona’s rigid and disjointed possession game, reducing them to only two shots. In the second half, Rakitić’s entrance and the shift to a 4-2-3-1 formation improved Barcelona’s buildup, which allowed them to control the game. As the match looked set for a well-deserved draw, however, Aduriz […]
Athletic Bilbao were very strong with their intense pressing and runs in behind, which caused Sevilla’s defensive line all sorts of problems. The away side struggled to get into dangerous areas with their possession and completely failed in their direct approach on the wings, which meant Bilbao picked up a much-needed three points. Tactical analysis […]
An injured Diego Godín scored an injury time header to complete Atlético’s comeback against Athletic Club. Do not be fooled by the result of this game, neither of these teams had a well-defined offensive game, but at least advantage was taken of the few big chances at hand. Atlético is a strange case to talk […]
The Basque Derby at the San Mamés Stadium was surprisingly won by Real Sociedad, who missed almost a third of their squad due to injuries and suspensions. Their defensive approach turned Athletic’s attacks into a predictable and easily defended festival of crosses into the box. The Basque Derby remains curiously calm off the pitch, with […]
Athletic Bilbao burst out of the gates with a high-octane press that unsettled Real Madrid’s seasoned technicians and raised the game to a frightening tempo. Julen Lopetegui embraced the chaos in the second half by bringing on Casemiro, Isco and Lucas Vázquez, but it only proved enough to salvage a 1-1 draw. Real Madrid arrived […]