Athletic Club might have accepted a point before the game if it was on offer but the way the game at the San Mames panned out, they might feel like they left Barcelona off the hook. Their gameplan completely disrupted the visitors and aside from a 15 minute spell at the start of the second half, they had them on the rack. Lionel Messi started even though he continues to struggle through a thigh issue and Ousmane Dembélé was named on the bench. And while Barcelona missed the very best version of Messi although he wasn’t helped by placid displays from the likes of Luis Suárez, Arturo Vidal and Philippe Coutinho along with the absence of suspended Jordi Alba.
It was Athletic Club who started better and Yuri Berchciche sent a warning shot across goal early on. They were trying to disrupt Barcelona high but were more than willing to sit back and soak up pressure when required. And that time did come when Messi started to get into his stride. A bicycle kick from Raul Garcia hit Ter Stegen in the chest, which came after the German showed off his agility to claw a Markel Susaeta curler over the bar. The ball seemed so close to going in for Athletic Club but never did after a succession of corners that saw Ter Stegen punch the ball perilously close to his own goalline.
Barcelona improved after the break and it felt like Athletic Club would have to suffice with the memories of a decent first half as the only thing they could take from the game. But Messi and co., while they had plenty of possession at the start of the second, lacked any sort of a goal threat. Iker Muniain came on after that initial 17 minute Barcelona burst at the start of the second and turned the game back in Bilbao’s favour. He immediately started a counter that saw Mikel San Jose’s strike blaze past Ter Stegen’s post.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen believes that Barcelona must improve following their 0-0 draw with Athletic Club on Sunday. The German was one of the standout performers in the stalemate with a number of excellent saves to keep Athletic at bay. Nevertheless, Ter Stegen insisted that his side must right the wrongs of the game which he felt was a fair result.
“There are always things to improve, it is what we have to do. “We must analyse the game well when the time comes. “It was a justified draw,” he admitted.
Asked whether the recent pileup of fixtures had anything to do with the team’s uninspiring display, the keeper was in agreement: “It could be that we were tired because February is a very busy month. “Now we can rest for a day or two. “And from then on we must fight for everything,” he said.
Asked about his own performance, he preferred to remain modest: “I am not sure if I was the best (performer) of the team, but I try to do my best,” he stated. “Today was a good day, defensively. “But there are always things to improve, on my part as well, but I am happy with my performance,” he concluded.
“There are always things to improve, it is what we have to do. “We must analyse the game well when the time comes. “It was a justified draw,” he admitted.
Asked whether the recent pileup of fixtures had anything to do with the team’s uninspiring display, the keeper was in agreement: “It could be that we were tired because February is a very busy month. “Now we can rest for a day or two. “And from then on we must fight for everything,” he said.Asked about his own performance, he preferred to remain modest: “I am not sure if I was the best (performer) of the team, but I try to do my best,” he stated. “Today was a good day, defensively. “But there are always things to improve, on my part as well, but I am happy with my performance,” he concluded.
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