Barcelona held to a draw in Valencia, Atlético falls in Bilbao

2023-12-17 00:21:53

By Le Figaro with AFP

Published now, Updated now

Only one point for FC Barcelona in Valencia. JOSE JORDAN / AFP

Continuation of the 17th day this Saturday, including Barça’s draw in Valencia, Bilbao’s victory over Atlético and the new defeat of Sevilla, which changes coach.

FC Barcelona could not do better than a 1-1 draw on the Valencia lawn on Saturday, and continues a third match without a victory, from which Atlético, beaten 2-0 in Bilbao earlier in the match, does not benefit. daytime. The Catalans take third place in the standings with 35 points but could lose ground on the leading duo: Real, second with 39 points, hosts Villarreal on Sunday (9:00 p.m.) and leader Girona faces Alavés on Monday at the end of the 17th day.

Barça needed a success to bounce back after two consecutive defeats, one without consequence in the Champions League against Antwerp on Wednesday (3-2), the other much more damaging against Girona (4-2) at the weekend last in La Liga.

But the Blaugranas were far too imprecise in the last gesture to leave with three points from Mestalla. If Joao Felix ended up finding the fault by concluding an action initiated by a bright opening from the outside of Frenkie De Jong’s foot (1-0, 55th), Xavi’s players had several times the opportunity to double the lead. put, without success. And the “Ches” took advantage of it through Hugo Guillamon, who equalized with a nice shot into the top corner after wandering through Barça’s crumbly defense (70th). Raphinha had a 2-1 ball in the 82nd but lost his face-to-face with the Valencia goalkeeper.

Bilbao on the lookout

Clumsiness from which Atlético Madrid did not take advantage. The capital club came across an excellent Bilbao. Three days after their 2-0 victory against Lazio, synonymous with first place in the Champions League, the Colchoneros were no match for the Basques. The Leones carry out an excellent operation: if they remain in fifth place, they come back to two points from their opponents of the day, now fourth, and three points from the podium.

Two weeks after their 1-0 defeat against Barça, the Madrilenians lost again and could also lose ground on the lead. Striker Gorka Guruzeta lit the first fuse after the break, to give his team the advantage (51st), before Nico Williams doubled the lead with a superb curling shot into the top corner. The Basques, who celebrated the club’s 125th anniversary in a warm atmosphere, then held on despite Atlético’s attempts, thanks in particular to some fine saves from goalkeeper Unai Simon. Antoine Griezmann, flamboyant since the start of the season, has remained silent and remains for the moment two points behind the record number of goals scored by Luis Aragones (173) in the Red and White jersey.

In the second part of the ranking, Sevilla FC recorded its seventh defeat of the season, swept by Getafe 3-0 and is in 16th place. A setback which cost Uruguayan coach Diego Alonso his place, who arrived at the beginning of October and who only recorded one victory, in the Copa del Rey, during his time on the Andalusian bench.