Mid-table pair frustrated by stalemate

Athletic Bilbao and Getafe played out a goalless draw that does little for either side's hopes of a top-10 Primera Division finish.

Athletic, who have already qualified for next season's Europa League by dint of reaching the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona on May 25, sit ninth after today's stalemate but are unlikely to be going all out for victory in their final league game against Levante on Saturday, which comes just three days after their Europa League final against Atletico Madrid in Bucharest.

Getafe, meanwhile, saw any slim hopes they still had of qualifying for Europe extinguished with this result as they can now finish no higher than ninth.

Athletic's Igor Gabilondo came closest to grabbing a winner but his second-half header came back off the crossbar.

Getafe started the match on the front foot with Pablo Sarabia flashing a shot wide on seven minutes and Jaime Gavilan forcing Raul to save his header after 16.

Athletic grew into the match as the opening period wore on, with Ander Herrera and Gaizka Toquero firing wide of the target, but in truth neither side did enough to warrant a goal in a listless opening period.

With Wednesday's Europa League final no doubt in mind, Athletic coach Marcelo Bielsa took the unusual step of making all three of his substitutions at the interval, with Andoni Iraola, Markel Susaeta and Ander Iturraspe coming on for Jon Aurtenetxe, David Lopez and Jonas Ramalho.

The half-time shake-up certainly drew a response, with the hosts bossing the second period and going close to scoring after 59 minutes when Toquero fired an overhead kick wide from close range.

Toquero headed wide on 71 minutes while Athletic's best chance to claim all three points arrived five minutes later when Gabilondo rose highest to meet a testing cross but saw his effort rattle the frame of the Getafe goal.

Two minutes later Ibai Gomez's long-range drive forced Miguel Moya to turn the ball around the post, while the same player was off target with the final chance for either side two minutes from full-time as Getafe just about held on.

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