“Ezkurdia is better than ever”

«Joseba Ezkurdia deserves the Manomanista final». Says Jokin Etxaniz, the technical manager of Aspe. He knows the Navarrese even before he made his debut almost eleven years ago, and has been one of those responsible for the striker’s maturation until reaching Sunday’s pinnacle match against Laso at the Navarra Arena. The man from Gipuzkoa is happy because the man from Arbizu is a candidate for the largest txapela for the first time. «This opportunity should have come before, but there are pelota players who never get it. I hope you enjoy.”

The striker reaches it in full maturity, after overcoming innumerable obstacles to become one of the reference handists. “In sports, not everything is pretty. He has gone through very hard times, but he has continued to work until he achieved it. He needed to get up again and again until he inaugurated his record four years ago with the title of the Four and a Half, which served to definitively convince him that it was possible. Since then he has added three more txapelas, but the heads-up match was pending, whose summit clash had escaped him more than once due to details. «Other seasons have also been good and, although memory makes us stay with the closest ones, Ezkurdia has played great games in this modality against Altuna III or Urrutikoetxea, but he did not round them off by a little».

This time the balance has fallen on his side. «The sensations that he has transmitted throughout the championship have been good. He has gone further as he has played the games and has always had the resources to get them ahead. The break that he had due to the injuries of his rivals in the quarterfinals group generated some uncertainty because he is a player who needs to play, but in the semifinals he cleared up any doubt ».

The clash he signed against Jaka was “complete”. No mistakes, releasing the ball well and finishing the goal. «It has earned him to ratify that he can achieve it. When you play a match like this, the rush is important because you know you can repeat it again. And in his next confrontation the txapela is distributed.

Etxaniz sees Ezkurdia “better than ever”. The Navarrese is fresh, with his right hand he extends the ball more than in other seasons and physically he has arrived at the optimal point. «Psychologically he is also convinced of his possibilities. He looks comfortable. He knows that if Laso wants to beat him he is going to have to fight a lot. And when a pelotari is like this he is good in a final».

lasso, favorite

The one from Bizkarreta-Gerendiain is also a favorite for the one from Bergara for everything he has shown this season. «He is signing a very strong campaign, and it is normal for people to be with him. The pelotaris who have been in the fight for the three titles in a row are few. Also, he was able to shut out the champion Altuna III. “But I have a lot of confidence in Ezkurdia.”

In the three training sessions they have carried out at the fronton to prepare for the match, one at Astelena last week and two on the final stage, the Navarrese has given him good vibes. “We have worked on different situations, but what I have insisted on the most is that he has to be quick when making decisions. That what you think, execute it with absolute conviction. He knows that he has to go so far, be focused and recover well ».

It will not be easy. Etxaniz predicts a “big finale” seeing the protagonists. “It has all the ingredients to be an intense game. Both are capable of attacking from defense, they know how to make their serve profitable and they have two good hands. But for both of them it is the first of the Manomanista, so we will see what happens ». The one from Arbizu has never failed in the four he has played. And he says the saying that there is no bad fifth.