“I’m more rested than when I came to the final of the Cup together Osasuna 19 years ago. I have more elements and tools than before and that makes me feel safer.” That was his response Javier Aguirre last Friday when, going into the final, he was asked why he had changed since 2004, the year in which he was left with honey on his lips at being his Osasuna lost in the Cup final against Betis. Although it was certainly known that Athletic were the favorites to win, Aguirre He arrived at La Cartuja convinced of his team’s possibilities and knows if he also thought that, in a way, the Cup owed him. And far from paying off the debt, he already owes two.
Champion of various tournaments in Mexico, both in the national team and in the clubs, the career of Javier Aguirre He deserves to have a title won in Spain on his record. Because after what Osasuna and his time at an Atlético de Madrid that couldn’t match his current struggles, for years he was pigeonholed as a firefighter. Zaragoza, Espanyol, Leganés and even Mallorca themselves approached him, seeing him as a good option for the bitter fight to avoid relegation. But when he did not expect, football gave him the opportunity to become a champion in Spain with Majorca and again, as happened with Osasuna, he is on the verge of achieving it. The Cup owes nothing to Javier Aguirre; owe him two.
However, the events during the match were not very different than the Mexican would have liked. He warned a day before the final that Athletic had poison in their offensive area. He openly said that the mistake against Valverde’s team had the result of vaccination. And he managed to have his people avoid him all the time. Because even Sancet’s goal was inevitable considering that the pass invented by Nico Williams to leave his teammate one-on-one with Greif was inevitable.
The ‘show’ before the penalty shootout
Xavier Aguirre He never forgot his role as the group’s tension reliever even at the moment of maximum pressure, before the penalty shots. Far from being serious and contrite, he repeated what he had done against Real Sociedad in the semi-finals. He applied suspense when saying who was in charge of taking penalties, but making jokes and generating good vibes among the players. This time it wasn’t enough to win. Who knows if one day the Cup, already double in debt, will settle accounts with the good Javier Aguirre.
Source: La Verdad
I am Shawn Partain, a journalist and content creator working for the Today Times Live. I specialize in sports journalism, writing articles that cover major sporting events and news stories. With a passion for storytelling and an eye for detail, I strive to be accurate and insightful in my work.
