Athletic – Villarreal: San Mamés closes the circle

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ANDl Athletic closes a circle. The lions disputed their last game without capacity restrictions in San Mamés in front of Villarreal on March 1, 2020. A year and a half later they will see their stadium again with him 100% attendance and they will do it against the same rival. An appointment that the dressing room has been waiting for more than 550 days and that is marked on the calendar. Many things have changed since then: a Super Cup title, the arrival of Marcelino replacing Garitano… Now, the players are looking forward to offer a win to your fans after so long without being able to fully enjoy each other.

In sports, Marcelino It has almost its entire staff at its disposal. Yuri and Nolaskoain are the only casualties, in addition to a Núñez who has yet to regain his rhythm after overcoming an ankle sprain. Villalibre, already recovered, returns to the call, but will start from the bench. On the green, everything indicates that the Asturian will line up an eleven almost identical to the one that defeated Alavés on the last day they played before the break. The Williams’ companion in attack is the only position in which there are doubts, with Sancet and Raúl García fighting for a hole in the team.

Villarreal, with the Champions League rush

Unlike the rested Athletic, the Villarreal arrives in San Mamés in the midst of a whirlwind of matches. The team La Plana will have to resort to the usual hackneyed chip change of the European weeks in order to show your best version on a court that is choking him in recent times and where so has only achieved one victory of your last nine visits.

The tilemakers come from a tough game in Switzerland, and despite the recharging of batteries that always supposes a victory like the one harvested in Bern, the truth is that the meeting was a significant wear, especially for the fact of playing on a different surface to the usual as was the field of play of artificial grass. Footballers like Trigueros could return to eleven, since they are not ruled out some more changes given the demanding schedule in which the yellows are immersed until the next league break.

The doubt of Albiol in the center of the rear will be one of the main unknowns that Unai Emery keeps for the weekend duel. The central veteran had to leave the pitch on a stretcher and shocked the past, although any serious injury was ruled out. Without him, the defense of the Castellón team is another. And not exactly for the better.

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