Mirandés miracles and Madrid march on
The Copa del Rey is offering up some fine fare this year, and leading the way for the underdog clubs is Mirandés. Los Rojillos have been causing plenty of red faces for their supposed betters in this year’s competition as many favoured clubs have faltered and been found wanting. Both Getafe, now up to third in the table, and Atlético de Madrid were sent packing by clubs plying their trade in the regionalised third tier of the league structure and for an hour Barcelona were on the receiving end of a rave result in Ibiza. For all though, it’s the results of the little club on the banks of the Ebro that has truly set the tournament alight.
Club Deportivo Mirandés is based in a town with a population of around 35,000, and after being promoted the previous year, were sitting in 11th place in the Segunda Division B, when they notched their latest giantkilling act. Their compact Estadio Municipal de Anduva stadium has a capacity of less than 6,000, but as the waters of the Ebro passed nearby, for three top tier clubs, have found playing there, a bridge too far. Last week Villareal became the latest club to suffer the indignity of defeat there, falling 4-2, and following in the footsteps of Sevilla and Celta Vigo. At that time, it meant that Mirandés had beaten as many LaLiga clubs as both Espanyol and Celta Vigo across the season to date. In fairness though, it’s hardly new territory to the club. They also reached the semi-finals in 2012, incidentally also beating Villareal on the way that time as well, before losing out to Athletic Club. In an interesting quirk of fate, playing for Los Leones in that match was legendary defender Andoni Iraola. Nowadays, you can find him on the bench at the Anduva as coach of Mirandés.
Surely an emotional final meeting between his old club and his new charges is far too much of a fairy-tale to hope for but, who knows, when the draw for the two-legged semi-finals draw was made, the clubs were kept apart. Mirandés were paired with Real Sociedad and Athletic Club with Granada. The Andalucian club has never won a major trophy and it’s the first time they’ve reached the last four since 1961, so Mirandés can claim a little seniority on that one. For all the romance of the underdogs, few would bet against an all-Basque final, but who knows. By the time you read this, the first legs will have been played and things may well be a lot clearer.
Back to LaLiga action and there was more than a bit of entertainment on display. Friday saw a pretty dour encounter in the ‘Betway Derby’ as Alavés prevailed 2-1 against Eibar, the decisive second goal for the home team netted by Scottish import Oliver Burke. Moving into the weekend proper though, things picked up a pace. Atléti rediscovered at least some of their mojo and get their archetypical 1-0 win over Granada. After Correa netted with half-a-dozen minutes on the clock, Oblak and his back line shut the door and, after his recent travails, El Cholo would have breathed a huge sigh of relief at the final whistle.
Espanyol dogged out a vital win by the same score against relegation partners-in-crime Mallorca to breathe new life into their troubled season. Abelardo wouldn’t have worried too much about the way the win was achieved. Given their precarious position, the points were all important. Three clubs, Espanyol, Mallorca and Leganés now lie locked together on 18 points, with Celta Vigo.
The Basque derby up in San Sebastian was a typically pulsating affair, especially after the break. Both managers had been keen to keep some players out of the action with the first legs of the Copa semi-finals due. When Alexander Isak for the home team and Iñaki Williams for the visitors entered the fray though things took off. Despite the latter’s neat finish, it was the Swede that decided the game, creating the first goal for Portu, before settling the game with a strike of his own after Williams had levelled. A replay of the second-half in the Copa final would do very nicely!
Staying up north, there was a rare glimpse of the lesserspotted Gareth Bale in the white shirt of Real Madrid in Pamplona, as Los Blancos visited Osasuna. Lesser-spotted may well have been the right label to hang on the Welshman in this encounter. Not quite anonymous, but largely ineffective and seemingly out of sorts, he was a pale shadow of the player who entranced the Bernabeu a few years ago. Madrid fell behind to a poorly defended corner on the quarter hour as Unai Garcia headed home. After the wake-up call though, Zidane’s men powered through to win comfortably. Isco, Sergio Ramos and Lucas Vasquez had the game beyond redemption before late substitute Jovic notched an all-too-rare goal. It all meant a chink of extra pressure on Barcelona as the Blaugrana visited Betis, and manager Quique Setién returned to his old stamping ground.
In a presser earlier, Setién had remarked. "I want my players to enjoy because, if these players give their best, everything we are working on will come out." Enjoyment wasn’t the order of the day early on when VAR pinged Clément Lenglet for handball and Canales converted from 12 yards. It set up an entertaining game as first De Jong, enjoying one of his best games for the club equalised, before Fekir restored the lead. Sergio Busquets squared things again, before Lenglet atoned for his earlier mishap by heading the winner. Late on two red cards reduced it to ten-a-side, but Barça got over the line to at least keep in pursuit of los Blancos.
Lastly, a word of praise for one of LaLiga’s more senior citizens. Getafe’s Jorge Molina, 37-years-old, is a qualified PE teacher, and currently working on his coaching badges as well as a sporting director’s license. At the weekend, he scored a brace in a wonderful display against Valencia to give Getafe a temporary three-point lead in third place in LaLiga. Never think you’re too old for the big time!
Matchday 24 is heading towards us and it’s time to start counting down the remaining matches.
Who’ll finish top dogs, and who’ll be the dog’s dinner in the relegation spots. All will become clearer in the following weeks, but with Real Madrid entertaining Barcelona in Matchday 26, the second El Clásico is certain to be a key factor. Throw in the Copa semifinals and things are hotting up, and I’m not just talking about the weather! Hang on tight, kids. It’s going to be a belting few weeks.
Hasta luego!