Narration: This is how we live the game
LaLiga. Classification
Leo Messi is still a child who wants the ball in the playground.
Sometimes a child sulking at the world, sometimes a sad or bored child who wants to isolate himself in his own world, but is still essentially the ball's best friend.
Even in the twilight that is already guessed, he draws magical nights like yesterday in San Mamés, his by right.
And Marcelino, who is new to Bilbao but not to football, watches him and thinks that history is familiar to him and that his Athletic will emerge another day.
A day, if possible, in which Messi is not in front and in which his goalkeeper does not make life easier for those who do not need him, because lately there is no one who recognizes Unai Simón, often failing in a rude way when he previously dazzled with its shine.
Two goals, the germ of the third and two shots to the post Messi pointed out in his service record against an Athletic that was neither Garitano's nor Marcelino's yet.
Hence perhaps, from the transition undertaken, the defensive cracks shown by the rojiblanco painting, as when you are changing the roof and the house fills with water because of a storm.
These are things that happen and you don't have to give it much more thought.
After just two training sessions, little could be demanded of the Asturian coach last night, still landing and with a line-up with only one difference compared to that of his predecessor last Sunday.
Surely, it will not be the one that takes hold in the coming weeks.
Marcelino's trial will arrive from today, yesterday's was only Messi and in any case Simon's.
Yes, certain green shoots were seen in Athletic, especially in the opening quarter of an hour.
The Marcelino era in San Mamés was uncorked by a footballer who must grow under the Asturian's command.
Williams did what he is called to do since he was a youth and that in recent times he seemed to have forgotten.
A loss of Dest in rival field turned into a counter driven by Raúl García and concretized by the Bilbao striker, after challenging the Barça defense for speed and then having the necessary mettle to cut and set the shot.
Athletic had another two in the frenzied initial ten minutes, much more plugged in than a Barcelona that asked for calm like someone who asks for five more minutes to wake up in the morning.
Everything was going well for the locals until Simon's first blunder arrived.
The Alava goalkeeper had made two great saves, but in a Messi cross he missed a strange exit and De Jong was able to return the ball to the area so that Pedri, coming from behind, finished off an empty goal.
The draw robbed Athletic of their initial effusiveness, while Barça allowed them to settle in the match and go on to dominate it during the rest of the first half.
Dembélé opened the field on the right and Pedri and Messi were looking for each other between the rojiblancas defensive slits.
And they were, as in 2-1, in a combination between the two defined by the Argentine after a pass with the sole of the canary's boot.
And after one -another- wrong half start by Simón who gave the entire goal to 10 for his use and enjoyment.
In two fatal errors, an Athletic as little correct conceded two goals.
And, what is even worse, he turned on a Messi who in the second turned a good individual performance into a heavenly one.
After an ambitious start by Athletic after the break, Messi chained a shot to the crossbar, another that was a goal after hitting the inside of the crossbar -without assistance from Simón this time- and a third shot that hit the post before get lost over the bottom line.
They wanted to leave everything, get up and clap.
He even rescued Griezmann from indifference, since it was the Frenchman who served him with the assistance of his second goal.
Back at eleven instead of Braithwaite, number 7 claimed prominence in the final minutes, although by then everything was resolved, despite Athletic's insistence to seek at least a second goal.
He found it in the 90th minute, thanks to Muniain, but it was too late, because Messi had already decided that neither sulky, nor bored, nor sad, that yesterday he was going to be a happy boy with his ball in the playground.
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
Know more
sports
soccer
FC Barcelona
Athletic Bilbao
First division
Leo Messi
LaLigaThe Barcelona squad, free of Covid after the two positives of the coaching staff
SoccerThe sleep control revolution in soccer: smart shirts and sunglasses that simulate sunlight
LaLiga A left-wing Barcelona finds relief in Huesca
See links of interest
USA
Check Loteria Niño 2021
Child Lottery 2021
Portugalete - Levante
La Nucía - Elche
UD Socuéllamos - Leganés
Numancia - Almeria
Athletic Club - Barcelona, live