Matarazzo admits Athletic were superior after defeat

“Athletic were the better team,” Pellegrino Matarazzo admitted after his Real side lost to Athletic. Speaking after the match despite not having been scheduled to do so, the coach congratulated the opposition and said his team deserved to lose.

Matarazzo described a difficult match, saying his side gave the ball away too easily too often. Although they started well, those mistakes eventually disrupted their rhythm. They also left the team too tired to press high with enough energy, while their work on the ball did not create enough danger.

In his view, a lack of attacking rhythm was another major problem. He referred to Gonçalo, who was sometimes involved and sometimes less so, and praised Zakha’s availability despite some misplaced passes. To play better, he said, his team needed more from its midfield and greater control with Turri and Gorro. The simple errors, he added, had undermined confidence.

Matarazzo did not use absences as an excuse, while acknowledging that several players did not know one another on the pitch. He nevertheless saw a positive: Aihen, Zakha, Rupe, Pacheco and Marín, who had not played much for some time, were able to get minutes and work towards regaining their rhythm. He noted that Athletic also had absentees and that several of their players were playing together for the first time. Understanding, he explained, develops by sharing the pitch; his team had not performed well.

The week’s work had focused more on individual aspects and match situations than on collective tactical work, an approach Matarazzo said he was pleased with. The team would start the following week thinking about Deportivo. He also said Fort had missed the match because of physical problems and described balancing rest with international duties as a challenge. Finally, he said he was pleased with the low number of injuries since pre-season.