The news was half written before this Saturday’s game at San Mamés. On Friday, Athletic Club announced that Martín Zabaleta, the first Spaniard to summit the summit of Everest dressed in an ikurriña with the symbols of ETAwould be the protagonist of the kick-off in the match against Espanyol on the tenth day of the League. The decision was made after an internal meeting last Monday, according to sources from the institution, taking advantage of the visit of Sherpa Pasan Temba to Spain, who also jumped onto the stadium grass.
An event that ended up being held, despite the commotion caused and the denunciation of the associations of victims of terrorism, with the majority of the stadium standing to applaud Zabaleta and the cameras pointing elsewhere, so the tribute could not be seen live on television. “A ray of dignity in the face of the inexplicable,” said Ego Non, an association focused on denouncing ETA exaltation, which had unsuccessfully asked to cancel the tribute.
In terms of sports, Ernesto Valverde’s men had a footballing gale, who after half an hour into the match had already won by three goals against the Barcelona team. Vivian, with a level of form that has led him to rightfully become the third center back of the Spanish National Team, opened the scoring a few minutes into the match. After this, a brief impasse in which Espanyol dreamed of fighting and, then, the pure electricity on the Cathedral lawn, personified in the figures of the Williams brothers.
A deadly trident
First, the eldest of the family defined a cross after a maximum elite control of a pass from Álex Berenguer. Then, the same protagonists for the third, when Iñaki finished a play that Nico had started from the opposite wing for the squad. The youngest of the Williams looked unbalanced, throwing pipes and appearing all over the Bilbao offensive front. Rested after missing the last national team break as a precaution. Champions football. “The best minutes of the season,” they commented in the stands. Only an extreme level of relaxation in the second half could change things.
And not only did it not happen, but the lions continued to press. “Let San Mamés go,” shouted the public, who an hour earlier had cheered the mountaineer Zabaleta. Some, as they acknowledged to ABC, without knowing the history of being linked to terror after the feat celebrated in 1980. The bloodiest year due to ETA violence, which left 91 murders. Berenguer scored the fourth midway through the second half. I cut with my right and hit the short club low with my left. From a book. The playmaker not only managed to ensure that Ohian Sancet’s significant loss was not noticed, but he also became the attacking protagonist of the game.
Athletic scored the fourth and put the game to sleep, with Espanyol overwhelmed and ineffective in attack, except for the honorary goal that Tejero scored in stoppage time. Ernesto Valverde allowed himself to give his figures a rest. The season is long and full of matches, since they also play in European competition. Both Ruiz de Galarreta, key in the Bilbao engine room, and the Williams heard the final whistle from the sidewalk. Waiting for what their rivals do this weekend, Athletic is fourth in the standings, looking directly at the Champions League spotstying on points with Atlético de Madrid and Villarreal and only seven behind Barcelona, which leads the table.
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