The 2017 txuri urdin preseason was seen as the last chance for Imanol Agirretxe feel like a footballer again. After that fateful December 31st in 2015, where an entry by Keylor
Navas did everything to truncate the career of the forward of Usurbil, Agirretxe he packed his suitcases, overflowing with illusion, to get on a plane bound for Holland in the last stage txuri urdin outside of Zubieta. There, in Heren, an ancient town in the Netherlands, the battering ram believed that this time he had indeed won the battle with his battered ankle.
On August 2 of that 2017, Agirretxe he scored what would probably be the most special goal of his career. After 581 days of that tragic night at the Santiago Bernabéu, the forward scored again defending the Real shirt thanks to a home-brand header after a cross from Of the beauty. ImanolUnable to contain himself, he began to cry on the lawn of that small tulip field. “I feel like a footballer again, scoring this goal, not injuring myself these days and being able to defend Real again, it's a gift for me,” said the striker at the end of the match. That day was the last time Agirretxe spread his wings to celebrate a goal as a Real player. “It was like playing the Champions League,” he verbalized 24 later in an interview with this newspaper.
El Plantió in memory
The preseason continued its course and days later, on London's Vicarage Road, Agirretxe He had minutes again, this time without a prize. The '9' replaced Juanmi at 75 'in a match that ended goalless. Usurbil's ‘sperm whale’ was still feeling good. Then came the penultimate preparation match of that summer period against Burgos in El Plantío where Agirretxe he unknowingly scored his last goal with the txuri urdin jersey.
The forward played 56 minutes, enough to score the first goal that would make the match uneven. On that hot afternoon of Semana Grande, as he had also done seven days before, Agirretxe he pulled an old formula to score with the blue and white jacket. Januzaj leaked a deep pass on the run so that Of the beauty, with his chest straight and his head back, he reached almost the baseline to hang a center measured at the head of the striker, who had to put his forehead and chop the ball to surprise the goalkeeper in the 19th minute. The play, almost automatic after repeating itself for so many years, it did not even leave time for Agirretxe spread his arms. Of the beautyAfter giving his umpteenth assist from the left lane, he threw himself into the arms of Agirretxe to celebrate the goal. Of having known Imanol He would have celebrated the goal alone, savoring once more watching his delivery kiss the rival network.
By then, Eusebio Sacristan was delighted to have two points as different and effective as Willian
Joseph and the usurper. The La Seca coach gave minutes to his two forwards, but Agirretxe He was once again beginning to be a useful player in a squad facing an exciting course with the Europa League on the horizon. The Brazilian replaced the Gipuzkoan in the 56th minute in the last match in which Agirretxe scored for Real.
The preseason ended the days with a new friendly in which he could not score despite the 2-2 final. The rest is history. The season was once again an ordeal for the '9' after he could only play 13 official matches, misleading in any case, since his minutes played were stuck at 315. A fiber break in October and a tendon injury Achilles who would not stop hurting until the 18/19 preseason, made Agirretxe had to land ahead of time.