Real Madrid beats Athletic, but does not achieve the assault on the leadership

The international central Nacho Fernandez He kept Real Madrid’s league dream in San Mamés with a goal scored almost unintentionally in the second half that gave his team victory and keeps him in the fight for the championship.

They were three points fought, although deserved, and that could have even more value if Atlético de Madrid do not go back in the final stretch to Osasuna in the Metropolitan Wanda.

The Navarrese goal made Madrid a leader in the league for a while in a match with controversy included in two plays. The first was a hand from Jon Morcillo in the area that was not punished with a penalty and the second was the position in the play of the goal by Karim Benzema, who, being offside, wanted to play the ball without rivals around.

With the scores of San Mamés and Wanda, Atlético continues to lead Real Madrid by two points, which has the particular ‘average’ in favor. Thus, the title will be decided on a final day in which Zinedine Zidane’s men host Villarreal and those of Cholo Simeone will visit Real Valladolid.

In the 88th minute, the Athletic striker was sent off with a direct red, and a former mattress player, Raúl García.

Zidane returned to leave substitute to Hazard to repeat the Granada team, with the only forced change of Odriozola for the young Marvin, injured.

On the other hand, Marcelino refreshed the team that did so badly in Huesca with up to five changes to give entry to the recovered Yeray and Dani García and also to Victor, Berenguer and Williams. The surprise, the substitution of Villalibre and, if anything, that this is already more common, also that of Raúl García.

Athletic started intensely, but Morcillo did not know very well what to do on the occasion that in minute 5 he gave him a resounding error by Casemiro, who gave him the ball starting the game on the edge of the visiting area.

Madrid recovered and began to command the game, although more in possession and without achieving clear chances. The closest, a Modric center caught by Simón and a deep pass to Rodrygo, which was reached first by the international goal.

Coming to rest, a far free blow from Berenguer that licked the post was the second of those of Marcelino García Toral, very orderly and attentive throughout the field.

Although the play that marked the first half was a clear hand from Morcillo inside his area, to the center of Odriozola, in the 29th minute. The hand seemed involuntary, but the arm was detached from the body and the ball hit the elbow. It was reviewed by the VAR and decided that it was not a penalty.

A couple of minutes later, Benzema fell into the area entering it with Yeray, which was the worst stopped in a dispute without major consequences.

Nothing more in a first half in which Madrid, still in command, did not do much to achieve the victory they needed to continue fighting for the title. A lot of possession but little rhythm and little danger of those of Zidane before an Athletic applied in defense.

The second half started better, with a header from Militao to a corner taken by Modric that went high.

Athletic responded with a very hard shot from Morcillo, after a beautiful Sancet driving, which repelled Courtois well placed. Seconds later, Íñigo tried to surprise the Belgian goalkeeper, without success, and Modric to Simón, who cleared for a corner.

Starting, even if I board, a continuous siege of Madrid on Simón’s area based on corners. In one of them, centered by Asensio, Casemiro finished off the crossbar and in another it was 0-1. A little marked almost accidentally Nacho, to whom he gave a center-kick from Casemiro after Benzema couldn’t control it.

The goal was also controversial. The French battering ram was on offside and wanted to play the ball. Therefore, a positional offside could have been called.

That much and the Osasuna goal at the Wanda they made Madrid’s life happy, which, however, had to suffer. In San Mamés with two occasions by Athletic who marched away after shots from Villalibre, forced, and Vesga, diverted, to good centers from Ibai and Unai López.

So far the game went before a final with many cards of Mateu Lahoz, one of them red to Raúl García.

– Data sheet:

0 – Athletic: Unai Simon; De Marcos, Yeray, Íñigo Martínez, Balenziaga; Berenguer, Vencedor (Unai López, m.72, Dani García (Vesga, m.64), Morcillo (Raúl García, m.64); Sancet (Ibai, m.72) and Williams (Villalibre, m.64).

1 – Real Madrid: Courtois; Odriozola, Militao, Nacho, Miguel; Casemiro, Fede Valverde, Modric; Vinicius (Asensio, m.59), Rodrygo (Hazard, m.77) and Benzema.

Goals: 0-1, m.68: Nacho.

Referee: Antonio Mateu Lahoz (Valencian Committee). He expelled Raúl García, in the 89th minute, for something the Navarrese player told him. He showed a yellow card to the locals Berenguer (m.14), Raúl García (m.79), Íñigo Martínez (m.78), coach Marcelino García Toral, and visitors Nacho (m.79) and coach Zinedine Zidane ( m.91).

VAR referee: Ignacio Iglesias Villanueva (Galician Committee)

Incidents: Match day 37 of the First Division played in San Mamés behind closed doors due to restrictions due to the covid pandemic.