From July 2005 to December 2021. More than three decades later Fernando Llorente and Asier Arana met again. From the beach to the pitch. From friends or acquaintances to rivals while the ball rolled during the Cup match played last Thursday in Urbieta between Gernika and Eibar.
This time the roles were exchanged. The top scorer of the night was the young central defender of the local team. Llorente, who had to be paired throughout the night, did not see the door, however, in his debut as a starter in the gunsmith team. Those from Garitano, yes, made the cut.
The photo of the beach, taken some summers ago in Peñíscola, took place a few months after Llorente’s debut as an Athletic player. The Navarrese striker went unnoticed at that time except, of course, for the followers of the rojiblanco team. The request for photos and autographs was rather scarce despite the fact that he had already been standing out in the Spanish Under-21 team that Iñaki Sáez then led.
Summers later, as a starting striker for Athletic and a member of La Roja, Llorente could no longer be at peace in that sandy area of Peñíscola. The number of fans had increased significantly. Everyone approached him every time he stepped out of the awning to get closer to the sea.
The Cup brought together the two protagonists of this story last Wednesday. At grass level. Center against forward. The differences on a physical level from then until now are evident. The meeting ended again with a hug, only this time Asier took Llorente’s shirt home. Soccer things and cases.
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