Summary of Athletic-Mallorca (0-0), belonging to matchday 2 of LaLiga 2022/2023

Athletic and Mallorca signed the tables at the start of the third stage of the ‘Txingurri’

Muniain played his 500th game with the Athletic shirt

Ernesto Valverde started his third stage as coach of Athletic Club offering very good sensations in San Mamés, but without goals against a Mexican Javier Aguirre’s Mallorca who managed to stop the Bilbao gale thanks to the great stops of Predrag Rajkovic and the sticks, which repelled up to two shots from Mikel Vesga and Yuri Berchiche.

It was a constant rojiblanco siege against a Mallorca with three central defenders and waiting for some against, although he also had his chances, such as a volley from Pablo Maffeo and a header from Kang In Lee to which the international Unai Simón also responded brilliantly, who did not notice the inactivity of the preseason. However, the large number of local occasions, around a dozen, made Athletic clearly deserving of victory.

Valverde opted for a very offensive line-up and the initial game proved him rightsince by minute 4 his team had already caused three corner kicks and Villalibre, the great surprise of the rojiblanco eleven, was about to score the first goal with a subtle shot to the near post, cleared for a corner by Rajkovic.

Mallorca tried to shake off dominance and respondbut he did not get much beyond the match as he could and in two dangerous arrivals in which Unai Simón was very attentive and quick against Dani Rodríguez and Muriqi in the 8th and 17th minutes. The international goalkeeper was not noticed in those first actions the inactivity of the entire preseason, due to a shoulder injury.

Although he sometimes lacked fluidity in the game, waiting for Muniain and Sancet to marryAthletic continued to do their thing and, although in a more irregular way, generating chances in the rival area.

Vesga had closed the initial assault attempt with a shot at the post, midway through the first half, Berenguer and Yuri had two more chances. But Rajkovic responded to the striker after scrambling in the area and the winger crossed a mid-height shot too far.

When the break without a goal was already in sight, the locals had a new arreón in which they were able to open the Villalibre marker, who also crossed too much a good header to the center of Williams, and Muniain, who got caught between the legs a clear shot, joining the area, to the center of De Marcos.

The second half began with two timid attempts from Bilbao, from Villalibre and Williams, and a great chance for Mallorca. A tremendous volley from Maffeo to the center of Jaume Costa, who went wide to the right winger. Lovely side to side action.

Athletic resumed command, but found Williams’ lack of instinct inside the area and a second time with the stick. The speedy striker missed a great combination between Vesga, Villalibre and Muniain, and a strong shot from Yuri was deflected by Rajkovic to the post in a great save.

Another save in the other goal by Unai Simón with a header from Kang, continued to prevent the scoring from being opened before debutant Javier Iglesias Villanueva did not see a penalty in a Guruzeta hand; nor expulsion in a foul by Kang on Williams in a counterattack in which the rojiblanco was left alone.

From there to the end, siege of Bilbao, strikers and strikers that Valverde was taking to the field and up to three clear opportunities for Athletic, by Guruzeta, Raúl García and Nico Williams, which did not bear fruit. Especially Guruzeta’s, which he hit on Raillo and to which Rajkovic responded almost miraculously on the goal line.

That move was a perfect summary of a game that, although not because of the result, with which Aguirre and Mallorca will be happier, I’m sure he will encourage Valverde and Athletic in this new erathe third, from the Txingurri.