“With 4-0 we didn’t believe it, that Barça was capable of everything”

Carlos Gurpeggi. Two Super Cup finals out of the four disputed by Athletic. From defeat to victory. From the resignation of 2009, to the euphoria of lifting the trophy at the Camp Nou six years later. “The first was with Caparrós as coach. We didn’t deserve to lose at home. We were quite good and we went ahead with a goal from De Marcos. I think I remember that Messi didn’t play, but Pedrito played a great game. He scored a goal and gave the pass from another. In the second leg, the coach decided to keep a lot of players because we were playing the Europa League and we had a game against Tromso. They didn’t travel enough than usual. Caparrós prioritized the European competition. We lost 3-0, Messi scored two against us”.

The revenge was lived by Carlos with the captain’s armband that Orbaiz had worn six years before. “It was an honor for me to be the captain that day and to be able to collect the Cup. These are details that are never forgotten. It was my only trophy with Athletic and I think all the players were in the same situation. They were two unforgettable days. In Barcelona reaped the fruit of what we had achieved a few days before in San Mamés. That 4-0 was impressive. The kind you dream of when you start as a footballer and you think will never come true. We were aware that if any team could come back from 4-0, it was Barça. Our obsession was to score a goal. Until Aduriz did not score the tie at one, I did not see him win. There was a play as soon as the game started that finished off the crossbar. I don’t know what would have happened if he got in. Then we talk about it. The pity of that night was that we couldn’t celebrate much because three days later we had a Europa League match and it was also outside. In Bilbao, a good one was mounted. We had been 30 years without winning a title“.

Tonight a new possibility arises in Riyadh. “I think about victory because I am optimistic by nature. Athletic already showed what they are capable of last year against Barça, on Thursday against Atlético and even in the two games they have played against Madrid this season. competed very well and I have no doubt that they can win today. I think we were even better than Madrid at the Bernabéu where we had chances to win well earned”.

2015 Super Cup. Four goals from Aduriz

If the career of every professional always has an unforgettable date, that of Aritz Aduriz cannot be other than August 14, 2015, the first leg of the Super Cup against Barcelona. His team scored (4-0) and three of the goals were his. Remember the moment calmly, as if you were reliving all the situations.

“They had beaten us well in the Cup final, but we were in the preseason and we thought that if there was ever a moment to beat them, it was that. I don’t want to say that we were confident of victory, but we did know that it could be if we did things well, how we did them We could not suspect that we could put four, but we took advantage of our moments in the game. That was an important high and yet we talked to each other and as the return leg approached we didn’t all have it with us. We knew that Barça at their stadium was capable of anything and personally, until we drew, I never thought that it was done. They were looking for the sextet and we took it from them. Winning a title with Athletic was the best. It was to win with a gang of friends against Messi’s almighty Barça”.

In the review of the goals it seems that he is scoring them again. “The first was a header, Sabin’s center, from the bottom line and I beat Mascherano in the jump at the height of the penalty spot. The second was a play with a cross on the other side, the right, the ball was loose with a bounce inside the box, I controlled with my thigh and crossed it with my right. I think he played in Bartra. The third was a penalty for a push from Alves. I threw it to my left. The Camp Nou goal in the second leg was one of those rare plays in which you have time to think about everything. As the ball came over the top, I thought about what De Marcos could do. ‘Touch her, touch her, I’m left alone’, I thought to myself and De Marcos combed her hair. I only thought about securing the goal. It’s amazing everything that comes to mind when you have a ball to shoot. I knew that I was alone and that, if I entered, we would win the Super Cup. I told myself that I had to put it in no matter what. The first shot was stopped by Bravo because I didn’t finish well. The rejection left me dead and that’s when I did think that we were going to win a title with Athletic, that’s the shit”.

Super Cup 1983-1984. Patxi Salinas. Clement’s work. It was the Athletic of the two consecutive Leagues, with a double the second year that ensured the Super Cup that the previous year had lost against Barcelona. Patxi Salinas, at 19 years old, began to make a place for himself next to Goikoetxea and Liceranzu. In fact, without the first, he started in both games of that Super Cup. “We played at the beginning of the season (October) and in San Mamés they played against us and they beat us well. Sarabia scored our goal, which was the tie at one. In the second leg Clemente decided to go with a very alternative team, with many players of the subsidiary. He reserved almost all the starters and it turned out that we won 0-1 with a goal from Endika. At least we competed and they didn’t score five on us”.

Then came the 1984 Cup final that ended with the massive fight and precisely the triumph of Athletic with another goal from Endika prevented the two teams from having to meet again in the Super Cup three months later. The wounds were still very fresh. “Then the fight between Clemente and Menotti and also between the players had grown and the best thing was that it happened, that we won the Super Cup without playing because we were champions of the two competitions. So the Super Cup was given less value than it is now”.

For tonight’s game, Patxi is confident and optimistic. “I see Athletic very well, no matter how much you want to say that Atlético is not doing well, going back against that team has its merit. We are tired of seeing how they close games when they are ahead. Madrid have a lot of quality, but Athletic can beat anyone in a single game. I hope that having one less day of rest doesn’t affect it. It always shows”.