The Cup has given Athletic a lot of joy in recent seasons and also a lot of disappointment. The rojiblancos have played in five KO tournament finals since 2009, but have lost all of them, four against Barça, the real executioner, and one against Real Sociedad.
The Bilbao team regained the healthy habit of playing a title match in their fetish competition in 2009 after 24 years of not doing so, since losing the last match against Atlético de Madrid in 1985, with still javier clemente of the coach. Joaquin Caparros he was the architect of the return to positions of glory in that confrontation against Sevilla crowned by the indelible 3-0 of the second leg played in San Mamés. Barça won 1-4. In the following campaign, Athletic fell in the round of 16 against Rayo and in the round of 16 10-11. That time, at the hands of Barça, the same rivals who stripped them of the title again in the 2011-12 final, the memorable campaign with Marcelo Bielsa of the coach.
The men from Bilbao crashed out in the round of 16 and fourth in the following two seasons and reached the summit again in 14-15, with Valverde on the bench. Another defeat against the Catalans in that last played in a completely incomprehensible way at the Camp Nou. Since then, four eliminations in the quarterfinals, eighths, sixteenths and again eighths to fight for the trophy again in the 2019-20 and 20-21 seasons. Gaizka Garitano was the coach who led the team to the first final, played a year later due to the postponement caused by the pandemic, with Marcelino on the bench. The Asturian coach lost to Real and fifteen days later to Barça. The first defeat made such a psychological dent in the dressing room that the second was almost taken for granted. Athletic missed another great opportunity.
The team competed well again last season, but fell in the semifinals against Valencia de Jose Bordalas. Today he started his journey in the 22-23 Cup with the first goal, to eliminate Alzira
Source: La Verdad
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
