THE LEAGUE
KOSTAS BRATSOS 03.03.2024 | 23:58
Barcelona’s Rafinha duels Athletic’s Gerai Alvarez for 2023-24 La Liga at San Mames, Bilbao | Sunday March 3, 2024 © 2024/ALVARO BARRIENTOS/AP IMAGES
Athletic and Barcelona were held to a 0-0 draw at San Mames in a game that likely puts a stone to their loftiest La Liga title dreams.
Athletic and Barcelona failed to find the winning goal and the 0-0 draw at “San Mames” leaves them behind in relation to the goals they had set for La Liga recently, after 27 matches.
The Basques came from qualifying for the final of the Copa del Rey and had high morale (but also fatigue). Against them they found a more composed “blaugrana” team, which was clearly more aggressive and came close to the goal in the 32nd minute. Joao Cancelo shot from distance, the offside Unai Simeon saved, but Geray Alvarez had to save on the line.
As if that wasn’t enough bad luck for the visitors, they lost Frenkie de Jong (who hadn’t missed a minute in 2024) to an ankle sprain and Pedri to a muscle injury and both are doubts ahead of Napoli in the Champions League.
In the 2nd half the pace was slower, with Barcelona asking for a penalty from Lamine Yamal and in the end the hosts had the strength to look for the goal, without success. Athletic were left out of the top four and the Champions League after this draw, while Barcelona failed to take advantage of the spells of Real and Girona and remained out of the title race.
The results of the 27th matchday
- Celta – Almeria 1-0 (73′ Mingetha)
- Sevilla – Real Sociedad 3-1 (11′, 13′ En-Nesiri, 66′ Ramos / 45+5′ pen. Silva, 90+2′ Mendez)
- Rayo Vallecano – Cadiz 1-1 (78′ Lezen / 90+1′ Hernandez)
- Getafe – Las Palmas 3-3 (11′ Mata, 14′ Greenwood, 45′ Maksimovic / 35′ Sandro, 50′ Cardona, 57′ El Haddadi)
- Valencia – Real 2-2 (27′ Duro, 30′ Yaremchuk / 45+5′, 76′ Vinicius)
- Villarreal – Granada 5-1 (7′, 19′, 66′ Charlotte, 32′ Capou, 47′ Guedes / 90+1′ Corbeano)
- Atletico – Betis 2-1 (8′ aut. Silva, 44′ Morata / 62′ Carvalho)
- Mallorca – Girona 1-0 (33′ Copete)
- Athletic – Barcelona 0-0
- 04/03 22:00 Osasuna – Alavés
The program of the 28th matchday
- 08/03 22:00 Barcelona – Mallorca
- 09/03 15:00 Valencia – Getafe
- 09/03 17:15 Cadiz – Atletico
- 09/03 19:30 Granada – Real Sociedad
- 09/03 22:00 Girona – Osasuna
- 10/03 15:00 Alaves – Rayo Vagecano
- 10/03 17:15 Las Palmas – Athletic
- 10/03 19:30 Real – Celta
- 10/03 22:00 Betis – Villarreal
- 11/03 22:00 Almeria – Seville
Relevant Articles
Sevilla v Real Sociedad 3-2: En-Nesiri takes the lead and keeps the Basques back Valencia v Real Sociedad 2-2: Dramatic finale with goal not counted in stoppage time and sending off Bellingham Atletico v Betis 2-1: Back to winning ways and full for four Mallorca – Girona 1-0: With a goal of qualifying for the Copa del Rey final