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“I was the first to cry, you can’t even imagine what that feels like,” said Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams, with emotion unleashed as the Basque club celebrated a long-awaited Copa del Rey victory .
It was well past 1 a.m. on Sunday morning at Seville’s Cartuja Stadium when Athletic’s Alex Berenguer scored the winning penalty in a penalty shootout after a tense and dramatic final against Real Mallorca ended 1-1 after 120 minutes.
More than 40,000 Athletic fans in the stadium danced and sang with their team as the club and fans, who had suffered regular Copa heartbreak over four decades and six final defeats, relished their moment.
“The fans deserve everything and more, they have always been with us,” said Williams, named man of the match after a thrilling individual performance. “I hope they can enjoy it. I dreamed of it so much – with my family, my brother. We made history. I still can’t believe it.
At least 70,000 Athletic fans had come to Seville for the final, around half without tickets to the match, but eager and necessary to get involved. They had arrived by train, plane and road – a group taking a week to travel the 900 kilometers from the Basque Country to the Andalusian capital in a specially converted 1970s London bus decorated with photos of the country’s beloved English ‘gentleman’. ‘Athletic, Fred Pentland, who coached the team to five Copas in the 1920s and 1930s.
VIDEO | From Lezama to Seville in an English bus from the 70s. Renovated interior and mechanics ready for the grand finale of #CopaDelRey. pic.twitter.com/SqVHpjNHDF
– EFE Déportes (@EFEdeportes) April 2, 2024
There were also at least 20,000 Mallorca fans in the city, who vibrated with noise and color throughout Friday and Saturday. Supporters of the Basque and Balearic teams mingled peacefully, visiting sights, sitting outside drinking beers and sharing the special occasion of Spanish football.
There was a sour moment when a group of what appeared to be Athletic ultras sparked unrest in the bar-lined Alameda de Hercules square, causing Mallorca supporters, who were peacefully enjoying beers, to disperse under the sun. This was, however, an isolated incident – more representative were the thousands of supporters of both teams who cheered a newly married local couple as they left Seville’s cathedral.
Thousands of Athletic Club supporters attended a wedding in Seville. 😅🦁pic.twitter.com/nhwO1AHOgc
– LaLigaExtra (@LaLigaExtra) April 6, 2024
Across the Guadalquivir River, in the Athletic fan zone, the atmosphere was like that of a music festival, with more than 30,000 well-fed fans dancing to a mix of Caribbean reggaeton and rock and roll. Basque roll by artists Henry Mendez, Oxabi and Doctor Deseo.
The photo below is from seven and a half hours before the start of the match and, as kick-off approached, fans took a long walk to the La Cartuja stadium, which has a capacity of just a little less than 60,000 places.
Although both teams received equal official allocations of around 20,000 tickets each, Athletic fans outnumbered Mallorca fans at least twice as much inside.
🔥 This is the #AthleticHiria from Seville at the moment…#Unique in the world 🏆 #AthleticRCDMallorca pic.twitter.com/PDn0cVsIvb
– Athletic Club (@AthleticClub) April 6, 2024
As the Spanish national anthem played, Basque fans whistled, stoically ignored by King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia. The royals were accompanied by the federation’s interim president, Rafael del Amo, with no new full-time leader yet chosen seven months after the disgraced departure of Luis Rubiales. Other ongoing issues include last month’s police raid on the Cartuja stadium as part of the “Operacion Brodie” investigation into potential corruption within the federation during Rubiales’ four years in office.
When the match started, the excitement, tension and pressure seemed to reach Athletic, who were the big favorites. Much more focused and organized Mallorca made full use of their half-time lead, given by Dani Rodriguez’s precise shot when Athletic failed to clear a corner. Only Nico Williams was in his game, with an offside flag denying him the equalizer.
After coach Ernesto Valverde’s instructions at the break, the Basque team was more itself. They were quickly level when Williams played at Oihan Sancet to finish quietly for 1-1. The celebrations were anything but calm, with increasing energy and noise in the stands. But after Williams’ dribble past three defenders nearly created contact for his brother Inaki, Mallorca’s astute Mexican coach Javier Aguirre stiffened his defense to stop him. Even before overtime began (after midnight local time), it seemed like inevitable penalties were coming.
Athletic’s Copa goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala (La Liga reserve behind Spanish number 1 Unai Simon) made a crucial save against Mallorcan Manu Morlanes, who must have been affected by the enormous noise from Athletic’s supporters behind the goal he was shooting at. That left Berenguer to nervously convert the winning kick and sprint down the running track to commune with his people, quickly followed by his teammates.
The moment the story was written.#Unique in the world 🏆 #Athletic club 🦁 pic.twitter.com/e8nmoE2NCB
– Athletic Club (@Athletic_en) April 6, 2024
Amid the flow of emotion between the pitch and the stands, both Williams brothers embraced – in a moment that will surely be remembered by all who witnessed it.
Watch this and don’t shed a tear, we dare you…pic.twitter.com/vNU0XCyzYM
– The Spanish Football Podcast (@tsf_podcast) April 7, 2024
Inaki wore a special jersey during the celebrations with the phrase “A lo bajini”, which roughly translates to “do it quietly”. This sums up how the team had internally targeted this Copa del Rey, but without making their determination known (even though they crushed Barcelona and Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals and semi-finals).
Former Athletic player Valverde, who is in his third spell as Los Leones coach, said afterwards that the victory meant more than anything previously achieved in a career that earned 11 managerial trophies, including a Spanish Super Cup with Athletic, two La Liga victories with Barcelona and three Greek championships with Olympiacos.
“None compares to this, because of the way we pursued this, what this Copa means, the finals we lost,” Valverde said. “I celebrate it for those who came here, those who are in Bilbao and everywhere else. We are so happy for them. Everyone knows what Athletic means; the club is all of us.
It seems that the Copa del Rey means more to Athletic than any other club. They have won 24, more than anyone except Barcelona (31). But it had been four decades and six finals since their last victory in 1984. In 1985 they lost 2-1 to Atletico Madrid, while in 2009, 2012, 2015 and 2021 they were beaten by teams from Barça inspired by Lionel Messi. . Most painful of all was a 1-0 defeat to local rivals Real Sociedad in the Covid-delayed 2020 final, which was played behind closed doors, leaving a huge feeling of missed opportunity.
No one associated with Los Leones wanted to miss out this time. Back in Bilbao, 51,000 fans suffered and cheered as they watched the match on the big screen in their Estadio San Mames.
Football, huh? Athletic Club wins the Copa Del Rey for the first time in 40 years.
Oh, by the way, this is not where the game is played.
It’s a sold-out San Mames watching the match on television. Magic.
-Amos Murphy (@AmosMurphy_) April 6, 2024
Official and unofficial fan clubs around the world were also glued to their televisions. Athletic may be the most ‘local’ team there is, but the celebrations of this Copa victory were global.
🏆CHAMPIONS🏆
What a crazy night in Seoul, South Korea. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/e4ZP27ySiw
– Peña Athletic Club Korea🇰🇷🦁 (@AthleticKOR) April 7, 2024
Less happily, even as the Athletic team bus headed to their hotel, where club captain Iker Muniain (who lost five of those finals) was sleeping with the Copa next to him in bed , some fans were still stuck in the stadium.
Rubiales’ idea of playing the final and the Spanish internationals there was good for the Andalusian authorities (and a judge is currently investigating possible corruption in construction work carried out by companies linked to the former president of the federation in disgrace). But it’s not an easy place to arrive or leave, especially after 2am. It was chaos as families rushed to taxis or elevators to get to the airport to get home.
They should all be back in Bilbao by Thursday, when another big historic celebration is planned.
For four decades, the legendary barge “Gabarra” remained in dry dock at the Maritime Museum of Bilbao, near San Mames (see its last exit after the 1984 victory below).
Technicians have been preparing it in recent weeks – just in case – so that Valverde and his players can take the trophy down the Nervion River.
Athletic will sail with the Copa trophy down the Nervion River on their barge Gabarra next Thursday – leaving Getxo at 4:30 p.m. and arriving at Bilbao City Hall Bridge around two hours later…
(photo from last time…) pic.twitter.com/dsdeTDE71E
-Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) April 6, 2024
At least a million people are expected to gather again on both sides to share this moment. Other boats will also be allowed to follow the river in its wake. This unique bond with their supporters, their people, explains why Williams, 21, signed a new contract last December until 2027, despite lucrative offers from Premier League clubs including Aston Villa.
“We had 10 commandments pinned up in the locker room,” Williams said Sunday morning.
“The first was that we could name it (the Gabarra) or that we had to pray to Jesus Christ. It’s going to be amazing, something I’ve always wanted to experience. After such a long wait, I hope that all of Bilbao can enjoy it.
(Cristina Quicler/AFP via Getty Images)