2023-09-26 09:15:24
“On fire!”, that is the expression that Imanol de la Sota often repeats and that briefly defines what he wants from his Barakaldo: a team with high rhythms, intense, direct, very offensive and that always looks forward, regardless of the result. However, Calahorra caused the factories to show a very different version than what has been usual. The Rioja team managed to be the main protagonist of the game for almost an hour of the match and entrenched the Baracaldians in their field, who struggled to hold on to the result until victory escaped them right at the last moment. They had to settle for a 1-1 draw.
Even so, his coach was not as concerned about the result as the lack of identity was. “Since I have been at Barakaldo, it is the first time that the team has taken a step back,” he highlighted in statements after the clash. Questioned by EL CORREO, De la Sota relates that “until the goal we were not bad, but when we scored, they took a step forward, they kept the pace, we suffered and we were not good at all, against the grain.” “We lacked courage and personality,” he adds. He did not like at all that his team locked themselves in their own field to try to preserve the advantage, instead of maintaining the proposal that led them to their historic promotion as undefeated.
An unbeaten streak that continues to increase and now amounts to 41 consecutive unbeaten games. A true feat that, in turn, Imanol de la Sota considers to be a double-edged sword. “We are coming from such a long streak that everyone wants to end it and go one step further,” he points out. A theory endorsed by the words of Carlos Pouso, coach of Calahorra, who commented after the match that “we had the illusion of being the first to ruin Barakaldo’s streak, but it couldn’t be.” Regarding this anniversary, coach Gualdinegro pointed out that “we have to forget all these things and not look back.”
Although he thinks that “it is something very nice because you enter the history of a great club and we will value it in a few years,” he also declared that “it is something that we do not talk about or give importance to, talking about it does not bother us.” “It doesn’t help at all, it only matters what you do from now on.” Of course, the lesson they draw from this latest crash is that “we must maintain our personality and strength in the moments we suffer, which there will be. “Look for that personality that makes us intense and brave all the time,” said the coach, who considered that the tie was “the fairest,” even though it was awarded seconds before the final whistle.
Out of play-off places
This result means that Barakaldo leaves the noble positions in the table, thus falling to seventh place. Now it is three points behind the lead held by Deportivo Alavés B -9 points- and just one point away from the play-off, where Tudelano -8-, Gernika -8-, Bilbao Athletic -7- and Calahorra -7- are located. All this after achieving three consecutive draws, conceding a goal in all of them. Imanol de la Sota warns that “there is a lot left and every weekend is a battle.” Likewise, the ambition of the factories continues to be to fight for promotion. “We are Barakaldo, our enthusiasm is maximum and, for our part, there will be nothing left to fight each game as if it were the last,” highlights the coach.
Now they only think about making up for this last tie and, above all, for the feelings shown on the green. Although this Second Federation, much improved compared to last year, does not give up. Their next match will be on Sunday at 6:00 p.m. against a Tudelano team that does not know defeat and is in second position. After securing a draw in the first two days, they reach this match after beating San Juan (3-0) and Arenas (1-2). Therefore, there will be a new litmus test to measure the aspirations of the people of Baracald in this initial stretch.
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