Thanks to the promotion to Second B, the Portugalete threw this Saturday several shovels of joy at the nightmare you’ve endured for the past two weeks. Its players celebrated with anger the triumph over Sestao River, which allows them to place themselves in a category that the pitcher club had stepped on only two times in its centennial history. After the suspension of the meeting on July 25 due to the positive in coronavirus of the partner of one of his footballers, after being confined for days to avoid infections – with less training than his rival to prepare for last night’s meeting – and star in an effective resistance exercise in Sarriena before the push of a neighbor who wanted to profit from his best physical condition, the formation of La Florida has become a new Basque occupant of the third rung of national football. All these potholes reinforced the unity of a group that was strengthened in the face of adversity.
The pitchers have become the protagonists of a story that will take time to forget, that will remain forever in the Basque football book. When everything was ready to play a fortnight ago, the alarms went off: the girlfriend of a staff member had contracted Covid-19.Immediately, measures were activated to prevent a massive infection. According to the Basque Department of Health, the Spanish Football Federation canceled the match. And the athletes, the coaching staff and the managers of the Portugalete underwent the mandatory PCR to discover if they were infected. It was on Sunday the 26th, the result, a day later, revealed that the dressing room was free of the pathogen. But Osakidetza’s protocol requires a second exam seven days later. They were left isolated in their homes. Of course, without training – elSestao did continue with the practice plan – and some footballers had to ask for leave from their jobs. They were fine, there was no sign of the disease, but his head was spinning a thousand times. Will I be asymptomatic? Will I test positive …? Will the game be played? Well, on Monday a new test certified that no one was infected. Tuesday, to train and yesterday, to Second B.
The sixth Biscayan
Portugalete, a municipality of 45,000 inhabitants, joins Barakaldo, Amorebieta, Getxo and Leioa –also Bilbao– in the bronze category. There will be six teams from Biscay in a singular season, with one hundred squads and a start still in the air. after the alert launched on Friday by Hispaniola: outbreaks are disturbing and footballers’ safety cannot be guaranteed. But the time will come to think about that. The gualdinegros yesterday gave themselves the right to smile after those two weeks full of doubts and fears. And to offer a pinch of happiness to an overturned population. «Portugalete is a city very identified with its club and this supposes a boost of morale. Important teams will come to play here and it will be an important step forward for hospitality and commerce. It is a magnificent landmark and makes the name of the town known much further », exposes Mikel Torres, mayor of a town who hopes that this promotion will not be ephemeral, of a single season, as it happened in the 2005-06 and 2015-16 academic years.
After almost twelve months of training, matches, the interruption of the competition due to the pandemic, the return to work, and an express play-off that has been delayed by the appearance of Covid-19 again, elPortugalete meets the objective with the one that Ezequiel Loza and his wardrobe started the chop: the ascent. The vases had stayed at the gates for two campaigns. Not now. They are from Second B. It remains to be known when Florida will return to welcome the faithful fans, to live the party with their loved ones. Although first you have to enjoy, without taking risks. This ascent is the best way to forget the nightmare.
The river is back at the gates
Sestao River is at odds with the promotion phases to Second Division B. For the third time in a row, it remains at the gates. Last year, Marino de Luanco slapped him cruelly in Las Llanas in extra time after the scoreless draw in Asturias. The green-blacks, with the field factor, thought it was possible, that the category jump was close, but Morilla in the 116th minute deprived them of making the illusion a reality. Two years ago, Arandina eliminated them at the first exchange rate. And yesterday, the Portugalete showed him that there are not two without three. Those of IbonEtxebarrieta, although they had had more time to prepare the duel and be superior, remain in Third, as the great favorites for, next year, to return to Second B. But now the tears and disappointment they are stronger because they are once again one step away from the prize.
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