• Chronicle: Inaki Williams seals the great rebellion

Barcelona, ​​the protagonist of a funeral with honors in San Mamés, was sure what the speech should be after one of the most turbulent weeks of Josep Maria Bartomeu's mandate . The team had been competitive, had offered stretches of good play, especially in the second half, and little more could be reproached to Quique Setién's group that his lack of attention in the areas. Unai Simón saved goals against Griezmann and Messi, while Ter Stegen, in Athletic's only shot after the break, could do nothing after Sergio Busquets and Iñaki Williams finished off goal when there was no remedy. Not even Piqué, who had had to leave the field before due to an overload, wanted to stir up any war in his passage through the mixed zone. Until Jordi Alba passed by and asked for peace. In their own way.

Questioned the lane of Barcelona for the open crisis after Eric Abidal , among other things, accused the players of not trying too hard in training and being responsible for the dismissal of Ernesto Valverde, Alba did not bite his tongue. It rarely does. «Those of us who are giving the face are the players and the coaching staff. They already throw enough shit at us from the outside, so that we throw it at each other. The side did not conclude there, which, as Leo Messi did, also pointed to Abidal, acquitted last Wednesday by President Bartomeu. «He has been a player and that is why he has to know what is inside a locker room. You must know how a soccer player feels ... ».

Piqué, minutes before, had tried to calm the atmosphere. «This does not help anyone. Inside the dressing room the unit is maximum . Everyone knows what he has done well and what he has not. Putting things in the face from here at the end of the season does not help. It is not time to take out the dirty rags. We have to focus on the game. Cheat. This club has always sustained itself in victory, and we have to return to that path. We players have plenty of capacity to continue winning. And in that we are. There is still a team to conquer the other two titles that are still missing ».

Barcelona, ​​despite the good tone shown in San Mamés, was again halfway. His two best matches of this season, including the semifinal of the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia against Atlético in Ernesto Valverde's last game as coach, concluded however in defeat. It is impossible to get away from frustration in a limited team of troops after the club's bad sports policy in the last sign-up windows, and nothing seems enough to move forward. Not even the sacrifice and the good game.

"I have not lost faith at all"

Barça, which already fell in San Mamés in August after another goal to the limit - on that occasion of Aduriz -, did not remain without playing the semifinals of the Copa del Rey from the 2009-2010 season. Not only that. He had managed to pass the round in 37 of the last 38 crossings of the competition. But nothing goes well in a season in which the team, to the limit with the injuries of Suárez and Dembélé and the departures of Carles Pérez or Todibo , will appreciate a certain rest with only two competitions ahead.

Who insists with his optimistic parliament is Quique Setién. He already said on the eve of Copa's duel that he had already had a hard enough life to be laid at first. Things from the north wind, which the coach loves to say. «I have not lost faith at all. It is true that the result is the most important, but so are the sensations. And Barcelona has been quite superior. But the only one they had, they put inside. We do not, "said the Barcelona coach, who said: " It is true that there will be people who only see the result . But I think we have taken a step forward ».

Both the Barca coach and his players agreed to claim a penalty from Capa on De Jong after a push from the back of the Athletic player. «I didn't see him because of the position he was in. But they told me it was a clear penalty. I guess the referee will not have seen it, ”said Setién. Jordi Alba completed it with much more vehemence: «Sincerely, within the field I thought it was not a penalty . I can understand the referee. But the VAR should have seen it clearly. If not, the VAR is worthless. I don't know how it works yet.

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Know more

  • Quique Setién
  • Ernesto Valverde
  • Jordi Alba
  • Spain Supercup
  • Sergio Busquets
  • Ousmane Dembélé
  • Leo Messi
  • Saudi Arabia
  • First division
  • Copa del Rey
  • sports

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