#2 If it were any other team, Athletic Bilbao would have scored
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Ernesto Valverde’s side may have lost the match, but they deserved to get a point from the game if not more. The Basque outfit kept Barcelona on their toes courtesy of their high-pressing game and went close to scoring on a number of occasions only to be denied by either some excellent defending by the Catalans or poor finishing by their attackers.
The San Mames outfit were also denied a late penalty appeal after Iker Munian went down inside the box at the end of regulation time under slight contact from Rakitic, but the referee didn’t award the penalty probably due to the over-dramatization by the attacker.
Simply put, if it were any other team apart from Barcelona, Bilbao would have scored at least one goal.
While Bilbao have failed to secure a point so far in the season, the signs were encouraging in the narrow defeat and Valverde should motivate his side to build up on this display.
