Athletic Club beats Valencia and remains in the Champions League qualifying zone
Valencia can’t handle the league’s best defense in a farewell match at Mestalla.
Athletic Bilbao will finish fourth , play in the Champions League and the Super Cup , thanks to a fantastic season in which they have stood out for their defensive performance above all else. They beat Valencia at Mestalla with a superb goal from Berenguer that put the finishing touch to a dream season for Valverde’s team , with five consecutive games without conceding in this final stretch.
The black and white team , with little chance of finishing eighth and with their goal of safety already secured for two weeks, had a tough time . And when they managed to break through the solid Basque defense, they found Unai Simón unbeatable .
At first, there was more of an atmosphere of a final party than of the close encounter that the cliché would have us believe with a capital “dog face.” It wasn’t at any point. From the stands, we heard “affectionate” shouts for Jaume during the warm-up, or for Mamardashvili after the kick-off; and for Barrenechea, who Unai Emery was following from the box. Mestalla was eager to celebrate with the team after a season in which they endured moments of true anguish in January. And the final defeat didn’t ruin that.
Without it becoming an exchange of blows, there were chances at both ends to keep the team motivated. A missed opportunity by Sancet , who shot wide unchallenged after a good service from Adama , was met by Luis Rioja with a superb shot just wide of the base of the post. Unai Simón stretched to keep out the goal. Then it was Sadiq who kept out a header from Tárrega.
Before Berenguer could have scored one of the goals of the day, Guruzeta could have scored another . The forward received a low cross from Lekue and backheeled it slightly wide of the far post. The hydration break then produced a sort of narcotic effect on the players, from which they awoke before halftime. Javi Guerra dangerously turned a free kick from Sancet out for a corner. And Unai Simón effortlessly saved a fine header from Diakhaby .
After the break, Yuri prevented a clear goal when Sadiq was setting up his leg. And that was Valencia’s last clear chance, as they struggled to break through the opponent’s midfield. Athletic didn’t press the issue either, but they generated more danger with Guruzeta always appearing where the ball fell.
But it was Berenguer who beat Mamardashvili with a spectacular right-footed shot from the semicircle of the box. The Navarrese winger slotted the ball into the top left corner of the Georgian goalkeeper’s net, who wasn’t expecting such a powerful and directional shot. The match didn’t go any further, although Valencia kept trying until the end.
