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Imanol complained about so many away games without the heat of Anoeta, but he hasn't had such a bad time at home, except during his visit to the people of Bilbao, and yet in his fiefdom he struggles the most with difficulty playing your game . He now has three draws in a row. They returned against Rayo to enjoy the popular warmth from the stands, but their rival was as elusive as the day, sunny but cold.
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Remiro, Zubeldia (Urko Gonzalez, Min. 62), Le Normand (Jon Ander Olasagasti, Min. 83), Javi Galán, Jon Pacheco, Jon Aramburu, Beñat Turrientes, Arsen Zakharyan (Brais, Min. 29), Martín Zubimendi, Sadiq (Oyarzabal, Min. 62) and André Silva (Sheraldo Becker, Min. 62)
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Dimitrievski, Luis Espino, Aridane, Lejeune, Balliu, Josep Chavarría, Unai López, Isi (De Frutos, Min. 71), Óscar Valentín, Sergio Camello (Kike, Min. 71) and Trejo (Nteka, Min. 55)
Goals
referee Alejandro José Hernández Hernández
Yellow cards Trejo (min. 6), Balliu (min. 18), Unai López (min. 56), Javi Galán (min. 69), Nteka (min. 84) and Jon Pacheco (min. 93)
The crash was like that too, and the end result is a mirror image of what was seen on the pitch. Not even purists can enjoy such a spectacle because there were no changes in tactics from one coach to another, nor lessons on how to defend one way or another. Just helplessness on both sides, but of course in such a scenario Rayo benefited from taking a point in such a complicated duel and Real suffered from the slowdown they suffered. There are not even reasons on either side to hold to account the referee Hernández Hernández, VAR star last week, who did not have to resort to his use in any action because the areas were virgin.
Imanol is doing everything he can to put together a possible lineup because the games and injuries are piling up. Football is like that, say the classics, in which everyone is equal, but some are more equal than others, and Real is having difficulties in these months, not so much because of the results, which are still good, but because of the mechanical problems, with many Football players repairing the engine and a few body and paint workers, slightly limping but still fit for the job. And of course the absentees, Kubo and Traoré, are not just anything.
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With Rayo Vallecano at the helm, Francisco's team always acted orderly, cautious but eager to attack the San Sebastian field, although often without the necessary tools because Isi was very reserved near the right wing and Camello had two greyhounds on him had: Le Normand and Zubeldia, who prevented him from reaching the balls that Unai López was trying to distribute, who was playing in his city and wanted to show off.
With these conditions, neither one nor the other were able to produce the football necessary to sufficiently worry their rivals. The ball moved through midfield, from here to there, but there was an electric fence in the areas. Just in case, no one came close, so Dimitrievski, who theoretically should have had more work to do, only had to stretch out his arms in stoppage time of the first half to block a strong but well-aimed shot from Zubimendi, and Remiro didn't even do that.
The only notable incident in the first half was another misfortune in the form of an injury, which caused even more problems for Imanol when Zakharyan injured his left ankle and had to give his place to Brais Méndez, whom the realistic coach theoretically wanted to give even more rest. Almost at the end of the game, national player Le Normand also asked for a change and left with muscle problems.
The second was a copy of the first. As the minutes passed, Imanol tried to turn the game around by incorporating his heavyweights into the eleven that were of course at his disposal, but Francisco reinforced the midfield with reinforced cement.
There were no clear attempts to score either, apart from a shot from Turrientes that Dimitrievski saved and a cross from Rayo that Remiro latched on to, but nothing more. In the last minutes of the game he tried to dominate the Vallecano team but could not produce anything positive, so the game ended as it began. Nobody liked it in Anoeta.
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