Athletic Bilbao 3-1 Osasuna
Osasuna travel up to San Mamés to take on their Basque rivals Athletic Bilbao. It is Athletic’s second Basque derby in a row, having beaten Real Sociedad away two weeks ago and yet another chance build on their recent success. For Osasuna, it is a chance to assert themselves against an old rival, and start to build forward momentum in a season where they have been mostly just keeping their heads above water.Osasuna have so far this season played consistently. Unfortunately, it’s been consistently poor play. They have drawn four times, twice without a single goal and twice after having gone ahead in the first half. Their last match, a 2-2 draw with a Mallorca club in disarray.
Athletic’s pressure on the ball has been one of a few reasons for their recent success against Real Sociedad and Paris St. Germain in the Europa League a few days before that. They players are beginning to look more comfortable in new manager Marco Bielsa’s system, now consistently pushing forward once they are in possession and then staying high up on the pitch.
Athletic’s most outstanding player this season, support as well as space to create through balls to the (very) forward line. This fluidity in the midfield, and a much more consistent pressure off the ball, have put Athletic’s forwards, Markel Susaeta, Igor Gabilondo and Fernando Llorente in much more favourable positions to score: together they have scored four goals in the past two matches. Llorente however has been struggling with injury this week, and was pulled twice from training on Thursday and Saturday respectively. - http://www.spanishfootball.info
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