He On April 6, Athletic will face its seventh attempt to lift a Copa del Rey since he last achieved it 40 years ago. The ‘lions’ have reached the final of a competition that they have not won since 1984, after beat Atlético de Madrid (3-0).
In front of them they will have a Mallorca who has earned the right to play in the final, leaving Girona and Real Sociedad behind and seeking to lift the title eleven years later. ‘Vasco’ Aguirre, of Biscayan blood and whose family is Athletic fans, will be in charge of that. Yes, from that Athletic, to which football has given the title of worst finalist in the Cup, after having lost the last six finals it has played in. The story of a path full of defeats, tears and frustrated attempts. Four decades behind the same goal: to win the Copa del Rey again. There are no shortage of reasons to believe that this will be the year, because The vertigo and effectiveness of the Williams has been responsible for adding enough arguments to the list to believe that the seventh time is the charm..
There is nothing more pure and loyal than a sibling connection. And, if that is extrapolated to the field of play, only golden flashes can emerge like those that came to light this Thursday in the Cup semi-final in San Mamés. A semi-final with the aura of a final. From the first minute there was a feeling of uncertainty, since the locals’ cup experience made them well aware of the thin finish that exists at this point when the contenders for glory meet with such a close result. You had to win. And the Williamses took care of that.
The Williams burn down San Mamés
Eleven minutes had passed when, after some intense first measures on the part of Atlético, Nico took a magnificent cross over the baseline where he found Iñaki at the far post, who executed a powerful volley to overcome Oblak’s stretch. The magic had begun.
Semifinal: Athletic Club – Atlético de Madrid. / Luis Tejido
Nico already warned the fans of the trick that was brewing inside him when he launched a ball in the 26th minute that passed very close to the right post. Granted, of course, by his best dance partner: his brother Iñaki.
Then, at the end of the first half, both exchanged the role of assistant and scorer and the eldest Williams gave Nico the key that opens any door. He took a dribble out of his hat that broke Mario Hermoso to put the pass of death in the area, where Nico pushed into the back of the goal to make it 2-0.
Athletic’s effectiveness defies all logic
To block Cholo’s attempts to react were not only the fashionable brothers, but also the fans. Valverde’s men had been there for three weeks, when they won 0-1 at the Metropolitanopreparing their throats to make the lion within them roar. “What a blessing San Mamés” was heard that cold night in Madrid. And boy did he do it. In fact, despite the accidents with the ultras that marred the previous one, a record attendance was achieved in ‘La Catedral’. There had never been more than 52,000 spectators in San Mamés for a football match and in this semi-final there were up to 52,061.
The logical thing was to come out in the second half with a more structured and defensive mentality, to maintain the 3-0 aggregate score and secure a place in the final. But football defies any rational thought and Athletic came out moving the ball with quick transitions and steals in the center of the field against a weak Atlético defence. Nico was once again the seer who used his magic ball to tell the future. Thus, in the 49th minute he was left alone against Oblak, but he gave in to Guruzeta, which sent her to the stands. The striker told his teammate to wake up. Said and done, because 14 minutes later the attacker appeared again, who had done his homework and only the He had to push to make the third after a rebound that Oblak cleared. San Mamés was falling apart.
Little Williams did not lower his arms nor his desire for the double, and he had it again in the 71st minute. Ten minutes later, Valverde decided to cut the impregnable connection between the two with the change of Iñaki for Berenguer, who left with a gala ovation . Nonetheless, Atlético was proud, But it was too latebecause the locals knew how to resist. With a certificate He blocked Memphis’ attempt with a great save and De Marcos saw yellow after a hard tackle on Morata who was left alone in the left corner of the area. The end justifies the means the defender must have thought. In the final minutes, Athletic’s cup goalkeeper showed that he has every reason to be a starter in this competition, stopping a ball from Riquelme from the far post with a great dive from the goalkeeper.
Semifinal: Athletic Club – Atlético de Madrid. / Luis Tejido
Because tonight was the day to make up for it. Both were aware and made it known after the game. “It was important to open the scoring. I hit it with all the help of San Mamés, it was incredible. Everything turned out perfectly, Nico and I couldn’t enjoy a semi-final last year, we were disappointed and we were able to make up for it.“, pointed out Iñaki. “We brothers understand each other very well, I hope we continue like this, we are going to celebrate with everyone,” said Nico.
In short, Atlético did things well, yes. Hence the anger of Cholo, who was in tears after the final. But the reality is that Athletic executed them better, with more play, intensity and goals. The Williamses must have learned this persistence from their parents, who arrived in Bilbao from Ghana, crossing part of the Sahara desert on a trip in which many stayed along the way to give their children a better future. And as life puts each person in their place, both became, through effort, work and, above all, goals, into the heroes of an Athletic that this Thursday has roared like never before.
Three goals between them so far
Until today, they had only connected three times this season, with two goals for Iñaki and one for Nico. If there was a day to challenge statistics, it was this day. With both in the eleven, the brothers have been lethal in all their arrivalswith two definitions suitable only for the stars whom destiny had blessed.
‘To Seville’ the fans sang. The oldest and the smallest. And the most veteran rojiblancos know that they may be facing their last opportunity to see their team lift a title again. And young people dream of seeing their team lift the Cup for the first time. Because yes, because this is the dream of an entire generation that grew up hearing their grandparents talk about the Gabarra. But they have never seen with their own eyes. Because the Williams overwhelmed an entire Barça, an entire Atlético and now they are going after Mallorca. To lift his 24th Copa del Rey. The seventh time is the charm. Football owes it.
2024-02-29 23:32:08
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