A night to remember for changes

Euskal Selekzioa returned to play for two and a half years. He did so this time in San Mamés, a stage where he has not appeared since December 2016. La Tricolor also came out with a lot of new faces. From his coach, Jagoba Arrasate, to Athletic’s latest official signing, Álvaro Djaló.

The reunion had the added incentive of seeing Marcelo Bielsa back in Bilbao. The now Uruguay coach received a loud ovation when his name was heard over the public address system. Then, when he took his place on the visiting bench, he was not noticed. Only the coach of the Basque found out and came over to congratulate him.

The same did not happen after the delayed break along with the start of the second half. It was then Bielsa who waited for the referee and Arrasate to show him his complaints for, apparently, exceeding the number of substitutions allowed. Things got worse in the fight that ensued and Djaló and Aritz were injured. El Loco then gave his permission to the referee to let his rival make more substitutions, but at the end of the match he left without congratulating anyone.

There were flares and firecrackers at Herri Harmaila and the upper stand of the other goal before the start of the match. Also, according to police sources, some containers were set on fire before the game in some streets adjacent to San Mamés. Protests also grew louder at the exact moment the Uruguayan anthem began to play, although a fitting silence gradually prevailed. Lack of education of children and very young fans.

The Basques and Uruguayans, however, lived in healthy harmony, mixing with each other in many areas of the stands. The main stand, the one located above the box, is, however, completely empty. The official attendance, after all, was 35,461 spectators.

Euskal Selekzioa is back. We have to hope that it doesn’t have to take another three years to get it back into action. And by the way: in the best possible way.