Little more can be asked of the party that will host Las Llanas on Sunday at 5:30 p.m. The leader will receive the fittest team in the group, since at the end of October he began to raise his head. A Vizcaya derby that will measure the irreproachable Sestao River against a Gernika that does not stop growing. Therefore, it will be a good test to measure the strength of both. Gorka Agirre, who last year wore the green-black jacket and is now under the command of Aitor Larrazabal, points out that “it is always special to play in Las Llanas with all the atmosphere there is, you can breathe football”.
The young playmaker from Busturia arrived at the Sestao team in January last year after not having a leading role at Bilbao Athletic, where in that first round he accumulated just over 160 minutes. It was his first adventure outside of Lezama, so “at first it was very difficult for me to adapt because everything was new to me, it was difficult for me,” he admits. However, he quickly turned the situation around with the support of his new teammates and was able to show his talent in three quarters. In Las Llanas he played seven starting matches and another five coming off the bench, so he recovered his smile.
That is why Gorka Agirre has all words of gratitude towards the green and black and keeps that experience with great memory. «At Sestao River I felt important again, I felt that I could play well again and I really enjoyed Las Llanas. He discovered another football for me and I enjoyed it again. It was a very beautiful, unforgettable experience that has served me a lot. It was a boost to my short career, which helped me a lot », he highlights. Perhaps that push has now allowed him to become a regular at Gernika. At 22, he is the second player on the squad with the most minutes. He has played all the starting games except the one he lost due to card accumulation.
“Heavily Contested”
The playmaker stressed that “I feel the confidence of my teammates and the coaching staff, that helps a lot to give a better level.” Likewise, he points out that the fact of playing in the team from his area also encourages him to show the best version of himself. Gernika has gone from wearing the red lantern to now occupy fourth place. Agirre shows that “seeing how we trained and the level of play we were offering, we were convinced that the results would end up coming”. His “turning point” was going through the round against Leganés. Which restored their faith in what they were doing.
They also adjusted a series of details in defensive matters, the pressure and the high risk they ran when leaving the ball. Some changes that have taken effect and that make them visit Las Llanas with the confidence of beating the leader. Gorka Agirre predicts a “very disputed” clash. “Very intense, with a lot of back and forth,” he adds. The one from Busturia maintains that to give the bell they must “follow the same line of what we have been doing, continue to be intense, strong, not concede and take advantage of what we have.” He remains to see what an attractive derby holds, which will also be an “exciting” date for the midfielder.
