Barcelona controversially beat Athletic Bilbao and remains the leader of LaLiga – Diario La Página

Tremendous victory achieved this Sunday by FC Barcelona against Athletic Club in San Mamés, one of the most difficult fields in LaLiga, to once again put land in the middle with Real Madrid. The whites did not fail a day earlier against Espanyol (3-1), but the blaugranas have responded in a duel full of drama to recover the nine-point lead over Carlo Ancelotti’s men, one week before the Classic that both teams will play in the Camp Nou

After an exciting first half, which ended with Raphinha’s goal just before the break, the lions did not shrink and went for the tie, but they ran into the posts (once in each half), also with Ter Stegen —who made a save for Iker Muniain and was named man of the match— and, at the end, with the VAR: Gil Manzano initially approved Iñaki Williams’ goal, on 87′, but would finish it off later annulling, after consulting the video arbitration, by a previous hand of Muniain.

Dramatic victory for Barça that could be worth half the League, at the expense of a Clásico that could end up being decisive because, if Xavi’s men win, the 12-point advantage would be practically insurmountable for the meringues with as many days to go.

A duel, that of San Mamés, that had practically everything, very intense and vibrant from the initial whistle. The two teams went all out from the start, each one with their weapons: Barça with possession and Athletic, seeking to surprise the counterattack. Ferran Torres warned the first minute, but the lions were not intimidated and reached Ter Stegen’s area with danger thanks to the speed of Nico Williams. Berenguer looked for personal brilliance with a Chilean kick from outside the area, but Lewandowski’s chance was even clearer just a few seconds later. The Pole, recovered by Xavi for the cause, stood alone in the area against Agirrezabala, but the last control was a little long and he was able to catch the San Sebastian goalkeeper on his way out.

The game was at a thousand revolutions per hour: Gavi, always on the limit, did not hesitate to risk his type and Koundé, from less to more, swallowed a ball from above that Berenguer took and almost ended in a scare for Ter Stegen. That was where the recital for the German goalkeeper began, who was in charge of stopping Iñaki Williams and then saw how the sticks allied with him, after the crossbar repelled a Raúl García header from a corner kick.

The match was beautiful and either of them could score, especially Athletic, but the one that took the lead was Barça. In the discount of the first part, when it seemed that they would reach the break without goals, Raphinha appeared to beat Agirrezabala with his right foot, his less good leg. Ernesto Valverde’s team gave him more intensity, but Barça once again showed off his punch.

Athletic’s superiority was even greater in the second half, although it was Lewandowski, with a header, who had the clearest chance when he returned from the locker room with a header that narrowly went wide after great individual action by Alejandro Balde on the wing left.

Lions, always brave, are characterized by never throwing in the towel. In front of his public, and against a rival of the stature of Barça, he was not going to be less.

While the audience at San Mamés —record attendance at La Catedral with 49,741 spectators— sang that “a Segunda, oe” thing and threw bills onto the field to show their protest over the Negreira case, the rojiblanco team grew and began to search, with increasing insistence, the goal of Ter Stegen. Berenguer smashed a ball into the post and then the visiting goalkeeper showed off with a save for Muniain, who had entered the field for Raúl García.