The second leg between Chivas and Athletic Club was full of important events. Not only was el Chiverío's victory celebrated, but we were also able to witness the debut of Erick Gutiérrez and the long-awaited return to the field of Alexis Vega.
The Guadalajara No. 10 was out for a few weeks due to a knee injury, but after an intense recovery process, Vega was able to return to the field prior to the Leagues Cup.
How did Alexis do?
Vega was a starter and started as a left winger. He played 45 minutes and showed a quick readaptation to the competitive rhythm. In fact, the Guadalajara 10 came up just short of scoring a great goal where he dribbled past 2 Athletic players and then fired a shot that went just wide of Unai Simon's goal.
One of Alexis' main characteristics is his contribution in front of the goal line, he not only helps you gain time with his clean receptions, but also helps generate a latent threat in space due to his power on the ball. In addition, when he gets inside and receives in other areas, he helps to leave empty spaces that are later attacked by a teammate. A clear example of this is Mayorga getting to the back line.
Vega was fine in his associations, some give and go’s on the left flank. Another of the things that was missed from the 10 was his striking, which allows him to set up distant players who attack the far post.
The return of Alexis Vega enriches Guadalajara's squad, which looks stronger and better every day. It increases internal competition and gives you a competitive edge that can be felt immediately. This is undoubtedly great news for Veljko Paunovic's Rebaño.
Alexis Vega's statistics against Athletic Club de Bilbao:
- Minutes played: 45
- 28 interventions
- 18 successful passes
- 1 successful long pass
- 1 accurate cross
- 3 completed dribbles
- 9 duels won
- 3 recovered balls
