The first league draw in Montilivi took away Girona's leadership, too permissive against Athletic. In a match full of alternatives, with excessive inaccuracies, Michel's team saw its streak of five consecutive victories cut short. This was not enough with the right boot of Aleix García, who places the ball wherever he wants, nor with the speed of Savinho, who repeats the same play a thousand times and no one stops him.. Athletic, with its extensive resources, well deserved the tie. Maybe even something more. [Narrative and statistics (1-1)]

There was almost everything to put the coaches on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Because you had to see Ernesto Valverde complaining about so many lost options in the first half. It is useless to list in detail the endless number of actions in which the goal would be around in both areas..

He cried to heaven, the first, in the 5th minute, incomprehensibly missed by Gorka Guruzeta after a measured ball from Mikel Vesga; The photographers were captivated by the flight of Unai Simón, deflecting Christian Stuani's header, after a center from Yangel Herrera; Óscar de Marcos botched with the broom, after a commotion in the six-yard box; The linesman raised the flag, invalidating Savinho's acceleration to make it 1-0; Paulo Gazzaniga flew to take a left-footed shot from Vesga over the crossbar.. Come on, before the break, no one in Montilivi believed the 0-0, with 20 actions by Athletic in the rival area, including nine shots.

Trouble for De Marcos

Girona, who already had to come back against Villarreal, Almería or Mallorca, did not consider themselves alluded to. Although the high pressure bothered him, although Aleix García took a while to settle into the cockpit, although the slowness of Daley Blind and Eric García caused scandal, the team continued to trust in its enormous offensive flow.

It was tough on Monday for a veteran like De Marcos, exposed to Savinho's mischief. And no less favorable for Iñigo Lekue, on the opposite side, not at all fine in Viktor Tsygankov's goal. Even in the games that it does not control, nor impose its creativity, Girona prevails by pure inertia. The one that tilts the rival field with dizzying football.

Athletic also has players of that lineage, such as the Williams brothers. From the left, Nico was an ordeal for Arnau, while Iñaki ended up managing against the center backs. It was foolish to allow a transition as simple as that of Iñaki and Ohian Sancet at 1-1. With unprecedented audacity, Athletic was once again taking over the situation. They were able to define the 2-1, between Savinho and Pablo Torre. It would not have been fair, in short, because Girona, who usually knows what they are doing, did not have their night this time.