Athletic gain momentum against Celta and Getafe and Leganés draw in the derby

Athletic Club beat RC Celta (3-1) at San Mamés on Sunday to temporarily move into the Champions League positions with their third consecutive victory, in a sixth matchday in which Getafe and Leganés shared the points (1-1) in the derby in the south of Madrid, a result that is not enough for the blue team to get out of the relegation positions.

With a double from Gorka Guruzeta and a goal from Álvaro Djaló, Ernesto Valverde’s team showed their aspirations for this season to temporarily place third with 13 points. The sky-blue team (9), for its part, suffered its third defeat in the last four matches.

The Galicians had a dramatic first five minutes at ‘La Catedral’; two minutes after the initial whistle, Óscar Mingueza had to leave the field injured, replaced by Marcos Alonso, and in the 4th minute the Bilbao team managed to take the lead after Gorka Guruzeta pounced on a ball rejected by the sky-blue defence following an initial shot by Oihan Sancet.

Claudio Giráldez’s men managed to neutralise the home side’s goal from the penalty spot. Julen Agirrezabala brought down Iago Aspas when he was about to shoot, and the Moaña native did not hesitate in the subsequent shot, securing the win with a low shot that grazed the red-and-white goalkeeper (min.25).

The Vigo side scored again in a move ruled out for offside by Aspas, just after Agirrezabala had stopped a shot by Marcos Alonso. Just before half-time, Guruzeta took charge of putting Ernesto Valverde’s men ahead again with a header after a cross from Alex Berenguer.

After the break, the injured Agirrezabala was replaced by Alex Padilla, although it was Vicente Guaita who had to deal with two shots from Berenguer and Sancet. In the 80th minute, Iñaki Williams reached the byline and his pass back was taken advantage of by Álvaro Djaló to seal the match with a header.

MAYORAL SAVES A POINT FOR GETAFE

In the first match on Sunday, at the Coliseum, Borja Mayoral saved a point for Getafe against Leganés (1-1), which still does not help the blue team, who are still without a win this season, to leave the relegation positions, from which the ‘pepineros’ remain far away.

Despite the efforts of José Bordalás’ men – who was not present on the bench due to his three-match ban after being sent off against Real Betis – the visitors had the clearest chance of the first 45 minutes when a shot from Juan Cruz crashed off the post, with David Soria clearing Óscar Rodríguez’s rebound off the line. Getafe responded with an Arambarri move that was first thwarted by Marko Dmitrovic and then the crossbar.

The score only changed after the break, after a set piece. In the 76th minute, Roberto López took a free kick and the ball reached Jorge Sáenz, who latched on to it and sent it into the back of the net. The goalscorer of the white and blue team was the protagonist of the play that allowed Getafe to equalise shortly after, when he committed a penalty on Diego Rico; from the eleven meters, Borja Mayoral scored the equaliser (min.83).

With this result, Getafe remain third from bottom with four points, one away from the safety zone. Borja Jiménez’s team, who have played one more game, have broken a series of three consecutive defeats and have six points.