Gattuso, period no, Valencia eliminated from the Copa del Rey

Nothing to do for Valencia, which continues the black period by saying goodbye to the cup that last year was played until the final. To block the path of Gattuso’s eleven, one step away from the semifinals, is an excellent Athletic Bilbao, who leads the dance and brings home a comfortable 3-1 signed by Muniain, Nico Williams and Vesga from a penalty. Little to do for the hosts despite the momentary draw (on own goal) and the five changes before the hour of the game. The Basques celebrate their fourth consecutive semi-final reaching Barcelona and Osasuna, who conquered the pass last night.

BLACK PERIOD

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Gattuso and his Valencia had the obligation to raise their heads after the draw against Almeria in La Liga and the recent series of negative results (just 7 points out of 27 in the last nine days). To do this, the Italian coach relied on a 4-3-3 led by Cavani, with the former AC Milan player Castillejo and Lino on either side. Clear objective: to give breadth and create spaces. Valverde responded in kind, with a lot of 4-2-3-1 to try to attack the hosts on speed: the Williams brothers and Muniain exchanging positions, with Muniain offering no points of reference. The Basque coach’s move was right, at least in the first 45′ marked by a clear guest supremacy. In fact, the wonderful opportunity wasted in the 4th minute by Lino was only an isolated flash for Gattuso’s eleven, who gave up meters as the minutes went by, leaving the initiative to Athletic. Muniain’s winning right-footed shot in the 35th minute was the reward for the constant push of the Basques especially on the right front, as was the doubling scored by Nico Williams just before the break and just a handful of minutes after the home side equalized on a clumsy own goal by De Marcos.

NO REACTION

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Valencia lacked the strength to react after the break, thanks to the attitude and aggression that the Basques continued to show us without retreating. When they decided to do so, in the last half hour, they still controlled the situation without giving up on attacking. So much so that, in the 74th minute (thanks to the intervention of the Var), the third goal from a penalty by Vesga arrived (clear foul by Cenk on Nico Williams). Hugo Duro missed his last chance in the 83rd minute to try to get back into the game and Gattuso’s band was left with only the boos of a disappointed Mestalla critical of the property.