Victim of their vulnerability, Barça delivered their second title in ten days. As a result of their defensive mistakes and their lack of concentration, the Blaugrana team also let the Cup slip away. He did it at the limit and in an open Cathedral. On top of that, it fell because of a regular executioner like Iñaki Williams, who arrived in Bilbao this Wednesday from the Africa Cup to level the balance in the addition of the first part of extra time. His brother Nico put the icing on the cake with the fourth.
Far from the lead in the League and awaiting the Champions League, Barcelona faced a tough blank season. The Barcelona players could have won if Lamine Yamal, who scored a goal, had hit one of the precious opportunities he missed in the second half of the game, but it would be unfair to put the blame on him. Because he was one of the best in the team along with youngsters like Héctor Fort and Cubarsí. Much better than more experienced people like Gündogan, Pedri, Koundé, Ferran Torres or De Jong. As in 2020 and 2022, San Mamés overthrew Barça.
Even the last of the fans knew that Athletic would enter the match with a taser in hand, ready to deliver the necessary electric shocks. With a Catedral enraged, Valverde's footballers went out to eat Barça in one bite. Because everyone was aware of the twists that Athletic would apply to the match... except Xavi's. Again, as in Granada or against Alabès, the Barcelona team had already collected a ball in the goal before the first minute. Specifically at 36 seconds, which was the time it took Guruzeta to open the scoreboard to the joy of a San Mamés in boiling water. It was after a new Barcelona nonsense. Lamine Yamal didn't get along with Koundé when the ball came out and the leather fell at the feet of Nico Williams, who crossed. From that moment on, a game of pinball. Sancet combed the ball, Ares centered it, Sancet hit again and in the end Guruzeta scored, amid rebounds.
"I can't believe it," Xavi muttered between his teeth. The coach had determined a single change with respect to Villamarín, Christensen for Pau Cubarsí. But once again Barça was losing. There was no order and Athletic's intensity devoured a minuscule Barcelona.
The Barcelona team tried to calm down by rolling the ball. But, to top it all off, Balde went to the infirmary for the umpteenth muscle injury and Xavi was forced to watch on the bench. He opted for Héctor Fort as a left back. The youngster appeared with enthusiasm and judgement, not being overcome by an atmosphere that suffered a short circuit when the score was leveled. It was a stroke of luck. After an irruption by Ferran Torres, the ball fell at Yuri's feet. The defender refused the ball and Lewandowski, just in case, put his foot down. Result, goal from the Pole. The tie was oil in a lamp for Barça, who took advantage of Athletic's bewilderment to punish again. If the 1-1 came with luck, the 1-2 came with power and quality. All, virtues of Lamine Yamal. He remembered the Messi of all his life when he crowned an individual action in which he started from the right to center his position and send from the front a cross shot. Game turned upside down, but there was a lot of cloth to cut.
Xavi's team turned fatal after passing through the changing rooms. And it's that you can't defend yourself with the look. It's what Koundé did, who left Nico Williams alone to cross, and what De Jong perpetrated, to whom Sancet won the position to score from a header for pleasure. Iñaki Peña also stopped. A calamity, which caused a new wave of Athletic, which was more emboldened by the entry of Iñaki Williams. The Biscaynes were prowling the area of a buttery Barça and despite that the one who had the best chances was Lamine Yamal. In the first, in a counter, Lewandowski left him alone in front of Agirrezabala, but the winger sent her away. The party was swinging like a cocktail shaker. It seemed that Araújo was injured, but the one who left was a rancorous Christensen so that another boy could play: Cubarsí. Nico Williams caressed the 3-2 and Xavi responded by bringing in João Félix for Lewandowski. There could be an extension. Or not Because Athletic was pressing and because Lamine Yamal missed another goal, in an empty net, after dribbling the goalkeeper, with his right. incredible Barça had the game there.
In extra time, Iñaki Williams decided after Sergi Roberto lost it at the start of the action. It could have been a mistake. Then the fourth would come. It wasn't enough for the young people. Hierarchy was missing.
