Jaume Costa and the only ovation of the season

23:30 at night on Thursday, July 16. Valencia just beat Espanyol at Mestalla 'in extremis' and he will arrive alive on the last day against Sevilla at Sánchez Pizjuán. But the faces of the soccer players as they commute from the stadium to the club offices to pick up their cars and drive home, are not those of a team that almost depends on itself to qualify for Europe.

While the footballers are parading intermittently, the 25-50 people waiting for you they throw personalized messages at them. TO Jaume Domenech they encourage you to win the in Sánchez Pizjuán, Françis Coquelin they ask him to stay in Valencia despite the rumors about a possible departure and others like Maxi They demand more of him and that he see the door in front of Sevilla. As usual, players try to stay out and pass that path as if they were not listening to those present.

But there is one of them no. That as he approaches the place where the fans are, before they say anything, he bothers to say good night. It's Jaume Costa, who recently expelled knows that he will not be able to play in Pizjuán and that his season and his journey at Valencia have ended. People begin to send him a message of encouragement and, knowing his character, to suggest that he motivate his companions to take that last and final step to enter Europe, but Jaume resigned by the expulsion only articulates a phrase: “I can do little else here now.”

Those present, recalling now the recent expulsion of the side, do not hesitate to recognize the great season he has done in which has played 25 matches and in all of them giving a good level. The messages of “you're big” “come on Jaume” they begin to succeed each other and as you move away from the crowd, out of nowhere a closed ovation starts until the player disappears from the fans' view.

Jaume Costa was fortunate to be the only Valencianist who said goodbye to Mestalla with the warmth of its people, either because people gave it to him, or because he was open to receiving it. That small ovation to the Valencianist is a tribute to a side that has met expectations and who has had moments of connection with the hobby very intense like when he left almost crying helplessly as he injured himself in the game against Chelsea.

What is clear is that, except for a huge surprise, the Valencian and Valencianista will not wear the elastic che next year. And although it may now have a sour taste due to a dark end of the course, the circle that Jaume has closed this season is noteworthy: returning to the team of his dreams, starting as a substitute but establishing himself as a rotation player, play up to three Champions League games and connect with what will always be your hobby (with permission from Villarreal). The subtle ovation You can keep it in the trunk of memories being the only one of the template that says goodbye to the course and Valencia to applause.