Hola! and welcome back to the south of Spain, a far cry from the north where those noisy Costa Del Dons live. The Basque Boys are two points clear at the top of the La Liga table, and are still going strong in the cup and Europe, but the further we go, the tougher the games get. Can we keep it up?…
We start by surviving a big scare at Espanyol. The introduction of Ezquerro and Idiakez changes the game, and Laslandes and Etxebe help me breathe a huge sigh of relief, I believe that’s what is referred to as winning ugly.
Osasuna are less problematic. We waste numerous early chances, but were always going to score suna or later. Guerrero’s pen gives us breathing space, and Laslandes puts the cherry on top. Betis beat Real Madrid 2-0!!!
There’s not much to say about the Copa Del Rey quarter final second leg with Atletico Madrid, other than it’s a bloody good job we had such a good first leg…
So that’s only five more times we have to play Barcelona this season…
Antandec away, or should that be “haway?” next. Anyway, it’s an irresistible first half performance from us up at the Grove, and a quieter second, but a good win, and we’re victory dancing like in the Dulce Vita…
Transfer deadline day comes and goes, and I get bombarded with the usual flurry of offers for Guerrero and Rios, but the only departure is Carreras (Zubizaretta) to Rayo Vallecano on loan.
We look to have got off to a great start at Zaragoza, only for the goal to be disallowed. We try and try, but it’s just one of those piss-boiling days, and we fail to score in the league for the first time in four months – f*ck!
We’re without two of our three centre backs for a Vigo visit, but we seem to cope ok, and go 2-0 up. Celta’s goal seems to Galvan-ise them momentarily, but Laslandes soon puts paid to any hopes they have of a comeback.
This hurts, let’s just hope Guerrero stays fit…
After fifteen shots at goal, a super keeper performance from their goalie, and no goals for the second time in three games, it’s more dropped points against Logrones. Those pesky draws are beginning to creep in again…
We’re back on track against Valencia. It’s a rare quiet day for Laslandes, but Guerrero and Etxebe are on-hand to help with goal-scoring duties. Our good friends Real Sociedad do us a massive favour, and draw with Real Madrid.
Another huge game follows against Atletico Madrid, and after they Hu-go ahead through Porfirio, we fight back and score twice, even with a heroic performance from Landreau in the Atleti goal – a huge win at a crucial time.
This is nice as always, but I’d trade in all my manager of the month awards for one league winner’s medal right now…
Oviedo deliver as stubborn a performance as ever, with big Vik Onopko superbly controlling their defence, but eager Igor finds a way through. I don’t care if it’s pretty or not, it’s three more points in the bag.
The champions league quarter final first leg is the first of three upcoming meetings with Barcelona in four games. They’ve been dropping points left, right and centre in the league, but of course they still beat us easily.
Back to the league briefly, and Betis can’t beat us. It should have been more than three, but Van der Sar was on his game, and a big cheer rings around the San Mames as the fans learn that Real Madrid drew with the Donkeys…
I’m going to be sick of the sight of Barcelona soon, especially if they keep beating us. That said, it’s our first league defeat in twenty seven games, so I can’t be too hard on the boys. I’d love to punch Louis Van Gaal in the face, but it looks like someone’s already beaten me to it…
Straight back to the Nou Camp we go, and we’ve a couple of suspensions, which gives some fringe players a game, and Idiakez makes the most of his chance. I would have taken this result at the weekend, but it’s not enough tonight, and we’re out of Europe.
Our last game this week is at home to Merida. Being 1-0 up is not good for your heart, but it is definitely better than being 1-0 down. I needn’t have worried though, the boys were just toying with me, and score a couple of late goals just to wind me up.
After twelve more games, we still have a two-point lead. It could be better, but I’ll certainly take it. Our cup and champions league adventures have meant a shuffle in the fixtures, which now sees us play Real in our penultimate game of the season, and they also have that tricky run including Barca, Betis, Atletico and Valencia in their last ten games, so I’m hoping that will be our ticket to the title.
So there we go, just ten games stand between the Basque Boys and their first ever league title. We still also have the Copa Del Rey to play for, so please join me next week for what will surely be the most exciting, tense, nail-biting instalment of this blog so far. Can the Basque Boys hold it together for one last push?…