Imanol Alguacil spoke after last Saturday’s derby in San Mamés, and he proudly confessed: “We have stood up to Athletic, which is the most in-form team in the League.” The data seems to agree. In fact, Real is the only team that has managed to score a goal in the last nine games that the rojiblancos have played. It was done by a footballer born in Eibar, Mikel Oyarzabal. The previous one was an own goal, by another player from the same town, Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta, who unintentionally beat Unai Simón against Granada. Nobody took it into account, because Galaxy He is one of the architects of the revolution in Athletic, which presents its best numbers since 1984, the year in which it won its last League.
Galarreta was the only signing of the season. He arrived for free from Mallorca, the club with which he returned to play in the top category after having made his debut under Marcelo Bielsa in the Bilbao team at the age of 19 and after a long journey, plagued by injuries – three cruciate ligament tears. —, which made him reinvent himself at Mirandés, Zaragoza, Leganés, Numancia, Barça B, Unión Deportiva Las Palmas and Mallorca, where he suffered his last serious injury, and where he became the undisputed starter.
“Who is the best footballer you have played with?” they asked Antonio Raillo, his teammate at Mallorca. “Galarreta,” he replied to an astonished interviewer. “A great signing,” in the words of Valverde after the Basque derby, in which he took on Zubimendi and Merino, two internationals.
But the miracle is not only Galarreta. Valverde has managed to put all the pieces together, and make the team work like clockwork. After the less than encouraging start against Real Madrid (0-2) on the first day, the machinery began to move at a frenetic pace, and although it may seem exaggerated, there are already voices that speak of very high levels. “Athletic can win the League,” Javier Clemente said more than a month ago, but there are opinions, usually more restrained, like that of Ibai Gómez, who jump on the bandwagon: “Athletic and Girona are the two teams that are doing the best. . I see Athletic in the Champions League and doing something crazy to be at the top fighting for the League. I say it from the heart,” he noted in an interview in The mail. The team is now third with 41 points. Even Ancelotti is beginning to appreciate the qualities of the red and white team. After his team’s victory against Alavés, he pointed out, when asked about the favorites to compete in the championship, he said: “Girona is there, Barcelona and Atlético are always dangerous, and be careful with Athletic, who are playing very well ”.
The red and white team remains undefeated since they lost in Montjuïc against Barça on October 22. Since that date they have only conceded three draws, one against Valencia in San Mamés, and two away games, in Granada (1-1) and Girona (1-1). During her visit to the leader, Michel, his coach, recognized Athletic’s level: “The best team that has ever been here.” According to data from Adurizpedia, it is the fourth time in its history that it has gone 14 official matches without losing, as in 29/30 and 83/84 in which it scored a double, and 84/85, in which it finished third. He is the best Athletic in the last forty years and the second highest scorer (38) in 64 seasons.
Everything works for Valverde. His usual pairing in the center midfield, formed by Galarreta and Vesga, had physical problems on several days, but his substitutes, Herrera and Prados, have been at the same level. The former United and PSG player, without the discomfort that hindered him the previous season; the Navarrese debutant, behaving like a veteran. The brutal pressure they exert on the midfield is essential for the forwards to exhibit his speed.
In defense, the exponential growth of Paredes, along with Vivian—with Yeray in dry dock for several months—has made Iñigo Martínez forget; On the sides, De Marcos and Lekue are in a second youth, and Yuri has recovered much of his best level. With Unai Simón in excellent form in goal, the best Athletic is displayed in the dynamite of its vanguard. With Oihan Sancet as their partner, the Williams brothers circulate on the wings. Iñaki, now in the African Cup, in his best season as a red and white; Nico, after renewing his contract, a permanent agitator of rival defenses. Gorka Guruzeta has established himself at the top, with eight goals and great intuition to occupy spaces and sacrifice in defense.
Ernesto Valverde has had no qualms about using youngsters from the reserve team like Unai Gómez or Jauregizar, or putting captain Iker Muniain, Raúl García or Dani García, regulars in other seasons, on the bench. Maybe because, as he himself states, “the problem with football is that you can never stay where you are.” He is, yes, the most cautious in the booth: “Our intention is to continue and see where we get to.” The next rival is Valencia, this Saturday at Mestalla (6:30 p.m., Dazn). In Bilbao, the fans dream, although the majority are cautious, and point to the enigmatic hashtag that Iñaki Williams uses in his interactions through the social network
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