A dive into the fight for salvation in La Liga
“Erasmus” is the Monday column in which we tell you about a sparkling game from the international football weekend. If you missed previous episodes, you can find them here.
Late afternoon on a Sunday in early April. A sunset by the Mediterranean, with a cerveza and a couple of university mates along the Paseo Maritimo Carmen de Burgos. Is there a more idyllic picture for a student in Erasmus? Is there a more classic stereotype of the friend who returns from a year in Andalusia with skin shaded by the sun of southern Spain, enjoying the academic and non-academic experiences gained in Almería?
Imagine him procrastinating any worries and fears of life. A towel, some friends, a bathing suit because you never know that a little dip in this heat maybe if it does. You, on the other hand, that same late Sunday afternoon in early April, are a couple of kilometers from the beach. More precisely atStadium of the Mediterranean Gamesdove Almeria-Valencia it is the football transposition of the concern and fear ontologically rejected by the amber acquaintance.
Penultimate against fourth last, paired at 27. With Elche now with the oars in the boat, Getafe and Espanyol are at stake for staying in La Liga – both defeated on the pre-Easter Saturday – Valladolid and Cadiz, Almería and Valencia. All used to getting their hands dirty and fighting until late April to treat themselves to another year in the elite of Iberian football. Almería has only 7 La Liga seasons behind them, far from European ambitions. All, except a gigantic and melancholy intruder. “Our expectations were low but” is a meme perfectly applicable to Lim’s management of Valencia. The names would also be good, but how is it that the 37th day will risk being decisive for the salvation of the orange?
Valladolid draws, Cadiz wins at Betis. A coat of tension rests on everyone’s shoulders. The atmosphere in Almería-Valencia is very heavy.
Roses are a puzzle (mosaic in Spanish) of romantic and decadent names. For Almería, former AC Milan player Rodrigo Ely, a Lázaro and a Luis Suárez can be seen who, however, are not that Lazarus and that Luis Suarez. A midfielder named Robertone – whose name is all too easy to ironize – and Manchester City-owned Brazilian defender Kaiky – who also controls a midfielder named Kayky. For Valencia there is a twilight Cavani, a Georgian goalkeeper and two leftovers from Serie A: Justin Kluivert high on the right and Samu Castillejo to act as a link between the departments.
Valencia’s right-back is Dimitri Foulquierwho in 2013 was playing forUnder 20 French with Pogba, Thauvin and Umtiti. He has the classic gait of a provincial full-back who will probably spend 90′ with a yellow card on his shoulders, on the verge of being sent off every time an offensive action passes by his side. After seven minutes his prophecy is fulfilled: yellow card, taken after that Robertone it escaped him.
The 4-4-2 of the guests moves the home defense. Baraja’s Valencia takes advantage of the superiority of the flanks, Rubi still doesn’t have the countermoves. On the right the Foulquier-Castillejo-Kluivert range quite easily puts Babic and Robertone in awe. The first opportunity just happens to Justin Kluivert who, however, wastes it.
Samu Castilejo is everywhere on the offensive three-quarters. Seven words that could surprise Milan fans.
Booked The, who must have been a promising Barcelona centre-back at some point in his life. Almería will be on the run in terms of quality and offensive proposition, but in terms of the beauty of the names they are second to few. Booked Luis Suarez for a foul from behind. And the doubts about wine with fruit thicken even more.
A little envy for those who have chosen to go to the beach.
The match is bad just as expected. But the 6-3-1 with which Almería settles in the last 30 meters resumes the “Our expectations were low but“. The dangers only come from afar: Gayà and Foulquier keep goalkeeper Fernando Martinez active, but in the first half hour it’s more the boos, from referee Sanchez and/or the fans, than anything else.
The commentator erupts: “Where were you so far, Chumi?” The arm starts from the circle in midfield and doesn’t stop. He reaches the back and forces his Valencian counterpart Diakhaby to return a very dangerous cross practically on the line. We have a match. That’s better.
Valencia have stronger players, and by no means a little. One instant of Hugo Duro’s genius is enough and Kluivert has the half of the pitch to himself. How could she get it wrong? Opting for a lackluster lob with a dive included on a light contact with Fernando on the way out. “Our expectations were low but“.
How much desire for the beach.
The relationship between onomastics and the Almeriensistas begins to take on grotesque traits: the left winger is Alex Centelles, which looks like the unlicensed version of former Inter fan Alex Telles. He gasps in front of the right-wing chain of Taronja, forcing Samu Costa and Babic to widen and widen the defense shirts. Kluivert wallows in it but, in an extremely consistent way with what we saw in Rome, he doesn’t take advantage of any opportunity.
You read the names, you watch the game and you don’t understand why Valencia are penultimate. Not even time to wonder and Kluivert is injured. Take over from Fran Pérez, the 20-year-old right winger who started the season at Valencia B. here she is, the answer. The 0-0 with which you go to the locker room is sadly right.
A lot of envy for those who have chosen to go to the beach.
Might as well go down the tunnel and carry on with one beer. From July 2022 the stadium officially changed its name: the club signed with Salvatore Caizzone, general manager by Power Horse, a multi-year sponsorship. The stands are full of this Power Horse, a leading sugar-free energy drink on the Middle Eastern market. Almería and the beautiful names, the union we felt we needed.
Two minutes into the second half and Nico Gonzalez – whom you may remember from Barcelona – is already down after a tackle with Luis Suárez. Baraja, with the perfect combination of quiff length and amount of gel to be transformed into the stereotypical villain of Everything is fine episode of Zorro, he no longer knows which saint to invoke. With Nico treated by the doctors, Almería punishes. The first shot on goal of the match takes the lead: honeymoonphlegmatic attacking midfielder col 3 on the shoulders, puts in the corner pocket. Soon after Mamardashvili denied Puigmal’s double with a miracle. Like being shipwrecked a kilometer from shore.
Corner of Robertone, very in parable according to DAZN España. Mamardashvili miscalculates the trajectory. Grandmothers horns with empty door. In ten minutes Almería is 2-0 up. The smile from toothpaste commercial di Rubi shines in the Andalusian sunset, to go out within less than five minutes. castillejo he pounces on a short rejected and reopens the game. Almería returns to withdraw, the Valencia players must try.
Maybe the time for a dip I can find it.
At the turn of the 70′, two consecutive postponements of epic war they end up on the face of the first man he meets. The first is the cameraman on the sidelines. The second time is Samu Costa. Both go down like a stone in the water.
Musah and Cavani enter. Musa e Cavani. How can Valencia be penultimate? Shot on the ball with which Castillejo signed the 2-1, kept in a display case as if it were a Fabergé egg.
The only way for Valencia to get into the penalty area are crosses from the left. Gayà and Musah begin to fill the 16 red and white meters with balls, finding a friendly head only when Hugo Hard touches the crossbar. The pipe Baraja enters the field to protest, but it’s all useless and sad.
Since the new company was founded, the Valencia he had never lost in Almería. Ok, expectations were low but not so. That’s too much. Everybody at home. Or, rather, the sea.
