Pamplona/Bilbao, 28 Feb. El Sadar opens this Wednesday a historic meeting, a match of great rivalry between CA Osasuna and Athletic Club, two classics, which takes place for the first time in the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey and which will end in a month , April 4, in San Mamés.
Although the ‘leones’ and ‘rojillos’ have been measured at other peaks in the competition, three times and always with the classification of Bilbao for the next round.
Osasuna receives Athletic Bilbao in a Copa del Rey semi-final first leg that has become the main illusion of a group of footballers who will have the support of their fans on a historic evening.
The Navarrese entity will play the semi-finals of the Cup again 18 years later with the motivation of their last league victory at home to Sevilla with which they broke five games without winning.
The road to the nomination was not easy. After knocking out Fuentes, Arnedo and Nastic, Jagoba Arrasate’s men faced Betis, before whom they were taken on penalties at Benito Villamarín and with Sevilla in the quarter-finals, toppling the Sevillians in extra time in a crowded Sadar until to the flag.
The rojillo’s coach, Jagoba Arrasate, said they were “prepared because the team has already played matches of this type this year and the atmosphere is good after the last victory. We want to play the final and for that we have to make merits, two great games”.
Regarding Athletic, the coach pointed out that “last year they were much better. This one, in Bilbao, they were superior in the first half and in the second we were able to hold them. In none of the three have we been able to show our true potential”, he analyzed the last three clashes.
The sensations in Pamplona cannot be better. Osasuna won the Sánchez-Pizjuán on Sunday with a show of resilience. Sevilla matched the clash up to twice before Abde put the final 2-3 with which the end was reached.
The team rediscovered that vertical, fast and open image that they hadn’t practiced for a while. Joy ran like wildfire through the entire parish of Osasunista with three unexpected points. The machinery seems ready for the most relevant appointment of recent times.
The most important players rested to arrive in the best conditions against the lions. Torró, Chimy Ávila, Abde, Moi Gómez or Budimir were substitutes and will start tomorrow.
Osasuna played their last Cup semi-final in 2005. The draw tied the rojillos with Atlético de Madrid, having knocked out Sevilla in the quarter-finals over two legs. Valdo’s goal won the first set 1-0 in Pamplona. The second leg, at the Vicente Calderón, ended 0-0. Then would come Betis, in a sad end for Navarrese interests.
Of rojilla fans he said: “They will start again. We are as excited as them and we have to play together. I am convinced that they will help us because with them we are much stronger”.
The Sadar will record the best entry since its reform. Members withdrew their seats and the club placed some 700 tickets which sold out in a short time.
More than 22,000 viewers will watch the game live to play an important role, supporting their team when the opposition pushes.
This time the duel does not present itself in a rojiblanco way, since Athletic arrive in Pamplona after one of their darkest days for a long time, a defeat against Girona in San Mamés with two own goals and five injuries.
Parked what was the first victory and the first goals in its history for Girona in ‘La Catedral’, the Biscay team only look to tomorrow’s clash while waiting for the physical condition of their battered side, which on Sunday received a little less than a whiplash.
Thus, first there was a knee sprain for Nico Williams, who was low, and later they fell on the pitch Unai Simón, who was relieved at half-time with an Achilles tendon injury ; Yeray Álvarez, substituted due to muscle discomfort after the hour mark; Jon Morcillo, who left his team with ten after breaking his collarbone; and Raúl García, who finished the game as best he could with a sprained shoulder.
Of the five, it looks like the most salvageable for tomorrow, something that will or will not confirm the call after practice this afternoon, are the younger Williams and Yeray. That is to say the two most outstanding players of the season with Unai Simón, who was not going to play because Ernesto Valverde gave the Cup to youngster Julen Agirrezabala.
Iñigo Martínez and Ander Herrera could also be available, much improved from their injuries, plantar fasciitis and muscle mishap, although on Saturday they had still not been cleared and could not be called up by Valverde against Girona.
Despite this, for Iñigo and Herrera, getting into the starting XI is more than complicated due to the recent recovery. Especially in the case of the centre-back, who has been absent from the team for a long time.
And for Nico and Yeray to do so can also be risky, even though it is the first leg of a semi-final and Yeray will be out of Vallecas on Sunday due to the bookings accumulation.
On the other hand, one of the good news from Athletic for tomorrow, the only one for the moment, is the return of Dani Vivian, absent due to suspension last Sunday.
If recovered, it would be Yeray who accompanies Vivian in the center of the defense of an eleven in which Agirrezabala is also safe under the sticks. Otherwise, the young Aitor Paredes will remain a starter. And in front, given the scale of the event, the regulars are expected, even if they have not had their best day with Girona.
In other words, Oscar de Marcos and Yuri Berchiche on the wings, Mikel Vesga in pivot and Oihan Sancet, Iker Muniain, Alex Berenguer and Iñaki Williams in the most advanced positions.
As it did not work for him on Sunday to bring Muniain and Sancet together indoors, which has long cast doubt on him despite the good results against the teams at the bottom of the table, and since the match is taking place outside. It’s more than likely that Valverde will accompany Vesga with another midfielder, probably Dani García, although it could also be Oier Zarraga, and switch Muniain to the left wing.
If he is available, but given the precariousness of his physical condition, perhaps Nico will remain from the outset as a revulsive option alongside a Gorka Guruzeta who has just confirmed all the good things he has announced. by scoring five goals in less than 200 minutes. of game.
– Probable compositions:
Osasuna: S. Herrera; Moncayola, Unai García, David García, Manu Sánchez; Nougat; Chimy Avila, Aimar, Moi Gómez, Kike Barja; Budimir
Athletic Club Bilbao: Agirrezabala; From Marcos, Vivian, Yeray or Paredes, Yuri; Dani Garcia, Vesga; Berenguer, Sancet, Muniain; Inaki Williams
Referee: Jesús Gil Manzano (C. Extremadura)
Stadium: El Sadar
Time: 21:00
The key: The psychological aspect.
Data: The best entry is expected since the reform of El Sadar.
The sentence: “We want to play the final”, Jagoba Arrasate.