The decision to kick came after 40 years. Alex Berenguer’s penalty kick settled everything in Seville at 00.51. After 40 years and five losses, Athletic Club would go on, never having been so near. Thousands of people were watching Copa del Rey final Berenguer celebrate his first major victory in a generation as he ran over the advertising boards, across the track, and through the crowd.
Detach the unidentified barge. Athletics can be revitalised with a retro, city-sponsored title celebration car. The first Nervion to pass San Mames since 1984. There may be more than a million people on this trip. Nico Williams said, “There were ten commandments in the dressing room, one of which was not talking about the barge; now I want to experience it for myself.” “Let’s see if it still floats—it’s been forty years,” Unai Simon said.
Ernesto Valverde, the coach, is expecting a fiesta. 100,000 spectators watched the town’s unlikely club draw 1-1 at La Cartuja, 900km south, before losing to Mallorca on penalties. Valverde has won twelve titles as a coach. None comparable to this, he remarked, because of how we have been pursuing it, the significance of the cup, and the finals defeat.
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Athletics was hurt and worn out. They struggled since they gave up first. Penalties and extra time benefited Mallorca. They were terrified of failing and falling. In the shootout they managed to avoid, they won their twenty-fourth Copa del Rey. Athletic supporters cheered the runners-up medals of Real Mallorca after much waiting and shoving.
Mallorca has made numerous sacrifices. They advanced to another shootout after blocking multiple shots, heading every ball, and tackling every foot. After dancing and cheering in the huddle, Real Sociedad, another well-known Basque team, called them for a rematch of the semi-final. However, neither did.
Manu Morlanes and Nemanja Radonjić were stopped by Athletic’s backup goalkeeper, 23-year-old Julen Aguirrebalaga, which allowed Sancet to score in normal time and make history. Athletic Cup victor. How could it not be a long, gruelling night? And there they were.
In Mallorca, nobody wants to have a miserable night. Twenty minutes in, an athletic blunder resulted in a goal for Javi Aguirre’s team. The first attempt was stopped; the second was avoided, but the threat persisted. Mallorca’s captain, Antonio Raillo, got off to a late start in the third. His pulse was quiet, yet time was short. He fed a quiet score to Dani Rodriguez.
Prior to turning 31, Rodriguez had never participated in the first division. He fled to the corner as teammates pursued him. Three minutes into the Copa del Rey match, he scored to help Mallorca return to the top division in 2019. 21 years after winning their first major championship, the Islanders went for their second.
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Fantastic beginning. Early on, Athletic was frightened by the towering Vedat Muriqi, and his management believes that you would cross the road to avoid him. As they moved faster, Dominik Grief rescued Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta. Athleticism felt tight. Excitement and anxieties may have run wild after forty years, five final losses, and being the favourites.
Muriqi came close to scoring again, but Athletic was ready, and Mallorca made a mistake. He was astounded at Nico’s dash past two men into the area. Without his brother Inaki touching it, his pass found its way to the goal. Greif witnessed his sibling’s birth.
As the ball went past, Antonio Sanchez, one of Morlanes’ two replacements, issued a warning. For Mallorca, Nemanja Radonjic saved the game in overtime. Mallorca agreed. It was inevitable, even if Guruzeta missed and Greif stopped Athletic’s last-gasp attempt. They left at five to midnight.
Iker Muniain, Athletic’s captain and five-time finals loser, missed a shot and converted a free kick. For a moment, some believed it was in. Nico erred, and Muriqi took the lead. They stayed with Aguirrebalaga, along with the penalties. One man, one iconic shot at last.
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