Marcelino against Barca: Lots of disappointment and one big success
The coach is Athletic Bilbao's new coach and his first game is against the Catalans
Marcelino Garcia Toral, Athletic Bilbao’s new coach, has a bad history with Barcelona. In La Liga that is, because his last game against them came in the Copa del Rey final for Valencia, which they won in 2019.
In La Liga he has suffered six defeats and four draws in 16 matches against the Catalans. He has coached Recreative, Racing Santander, Zaragoza, Sevilla, Villarreal and Valencia before now in the top flight.
He took some early defeats, including a 4-0 against his Zaragoza with goals from Eto’o, two, Messi and Zambrotta. Then they lost 6-1 with Seydou Keita hitting a hat-trick.
The draws arrived when he was in charge of Valencia. In 18-19 he managed to avoid defeat in all three games against Barca, a 1-1 at Mestalla and a 2-2 in Camp Nou.
The Copa win at the Benito Villamarin was his great victory, a 2-1 win, with goals from Kevin Gameiro and Rodrigo. Messi pulled one back with 20 minutes to go but Valencia held on for the win, to earn their first trophy in some time. Curiously the previous cup won by Los Che was a Copa, 11 years earlier, with Ronald Koeman at the helm. And both coaches were sacked.
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