JANUARY
Lineup - Simon, Capa, Yeray, Martinez, Yuri, Dani Garcia (Moriba), Benat, Williams (Unai Lopez),
Raul Garcia*, Muniain, Fati (Villalibre)
We return from the winter break and get a narrow victory. We were 2up and cruising but in the 2nd half they came back and had a goal disallowed before they pulled one back in stoppage time.
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Copa del Rey 2nd Round
Lineup - Simon, Lekue, Nunez, Vivian,
Balenziaga*, Sancet (Vesga), Moriba, Rodriguez, Unai Lopez, Cordoba (Serrano), Fati (Villalibre)
Through we go. Despite falling behind to a shock goal Fati got us level before Lekue scored a screamer and then Balenziaga fired in a free-kick. Vesga came off the bench to make his 1st appearance this season and rounded things off. Vivian and Rodriguez made their debuts here with Rodriguez breaking Serrano's record of being the youngest ever player.
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Lineup - Simon, Capa, Yeray, Martinez, Yuri, Dani Garcia,
Benat*, Williams (Unai Lopez), Raul Garcia, Muniain (Cordoba), Fati (Aduriz)
Extremely frustrating. We played Granada off the park but a defensive slip up gave them a point.
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Lineup - Simon, Capa, Yeray, Martinez, Yuri, Dani Garcia, Benat,
Williams*, Raul Garcia, Muniain (Cordoba), Aduriz (Villalibre)
A huge victory as we move within 3pts of Barcelona as we inflict their 2nd league defeat of the season. It was an even match but we just edged it and I am left rueing the 2pts dropped away to Granada even more now!
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Copa del Rey 3rd Round
Lineup - Simon, Aguirregabiria, Nunez, Martinez, Yuri, Sancet (Vesga),
Moriba*, Williams (Larrazabal), Raul Garcia, Cordoba, Fati (Villalibre)
We are through but it should have been much more comfortable than a penalty shoot-out victory. I went with a half strength side and they were decent enough and my recent signing, Aguirregabiria, made his debut. Sancet got an injury though and will be out for a month.
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Lineup - Simon, Capa (Aguirregabiria), Yeray, Martinez, Yuri, Moriba,
Benat*, Williams (Larrazabal), Raul Garcia, Muniain (Fati), Aduriz
This is what should have happened in the cup match! We cruised it here and Martinez also had a goal disallowed. By the way - we are unbeaten in our last 14 league games!
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Copa del Rey 4th Round
Lineup - Simon, Capa, Yeray, Martinez,
Yuri*, Dani Garcia (Vesga), Benat, Williams, Unai Lopez, Muniain (Cordoba), Aduriz (Fati)
I don't know the tactics Celta play but that's twice we have faced them and both times they have had over 60% possession which goes against the grain as we usually out possess everyone! Anywho we edged it here thanks to a great strike from Yuri.
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SUMMARY
As ever in Spain - January is a hectic month with league and cup games coming thick and fast and we came out of it in a stronger position than we entered it so I am happy. In the league we were near perfect with only a draw against Granada letting us down but immediately after that we defeated Barcelona and we end the month just 1pt behind the Catalan giants - the impossible dream may just be possible!!
In the cup we have reached the quarter-finals and we have a tasty tie against our deadliest rivals, Real Sociedad coming up. Barcelona and Real Madrid are also still lurking about in the competition so it will be tough to come out on top there.
Quite a bit of transfer news to tell you. I had already arranged to sell Mikel San Jose to Nice for £9m so he departed early on while Ibai Gomez was let go for £5m and Inigo Lekue was sold to Alaves for £4.6m. With that I recouped nearly £20m but my first team weren't happy about the strength of the squad.
In the end I only brought in one player and that was the Alaves RB Martin Aguirregaribia. I paid £10.5m to get him in which is a bit steep but at 23y/o he should be in and around my first team squad for a few years.
I also brought in Ivan Martin on loan from Villarreal to help out my B side's promotion push. He looks a decent prospect and in the future could be a first team player so I brought him in to have a proper look at him.
I also called up Dani Vivian into the first team squad to replace San Jose and I registered Oscar De Marcos to play now that he has almost returned from injury. Finally I also agreed to sign a player for next season......
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PLAYER OF THE MONTH
BENAT
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LIGA BBVA