SEVILLA, 7 Abr. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The president of Athletic Club, Jon Uriarte, trusts that celebrating a title with the Gabarra “does not happen every 40 years”, advocating “to be ambitious and go for more”, after having won the Copa del Rey fianl this Saturday on penalties against RCD Mallorca.
“What I want is for this not to happen every 40 years, but for it to start happening more frequently. We have won a title, but I think we must be ambitious and go for more. We now have LaLiga ahead of us, we are in fifth position, there is “We have to secure European places and I think we have to try to go for the Champions League,” Uriarte told Movistar Plus+ after the Bilbao team’s victory in La Cartuja (Seville).
“It has been an impressive day, we are seeing it with fans who burst into the room here to encourage us. It has been incredible, it has been a very even match, on top of that it has been uphill for us against a team like Mallorca, which defends very very good,” he said.
“But we fought, we created a chance at the end, we managed to tie and then we went to penalties. And in the penalties, the young people and veterans who have taken shots together with the stellar performance of Julen [Agirrezabala] They have given us victory,” he added.
“It is amazing after 40 years to lift this title, to be able to do it again is impressive. I had the lehendakari, the mayor, the deputy general of Vizcaya next to me and there were tears in their eyes, especially in those of the mayor. And then I was with Iribar talking and hugging me, and he was also crying. It is a reflection of what it has cost to get this title, of those very hard years of drought and that we have finally finished,” argued the ‘León’ president.
Likewise, he praised the red and white fans. “The truth is that there is nothing to say, just seeing it is enough. It’s amazing, we always say that the Athletic fans are incredible, they are with the team in the good times like today, but above all also in the very difficult moments, and this title is for them,” said Uriarte.
“It has been a very special day, there has been a mass movement to Seville, behavior that I think was impressive on the part of the majority. Enjoying the city a lot, also with the rival fans, with the local fans and then here at the cheering on the team non-stop, even when we were losing 0-1, I think it was one of the keys to being able to tie the game,” he added.
Furthermore, he highlighted the essential role of coach Ernesto Valverde. “He is not only a great coach, but a great person. For me, having him as a coach when we arrived at the club has been incredibly helpful. I always tell an anecdote and it is that when I came in, I spoke with him worried about whether reinforcements were needed, and he gave me peace of mind. He told me that he was very happy with the squad he had and that he didn’t need anyone else. And it’s something very rare,” he recalled.
“Coaches always tend to make statements, they usually cover themselves just in case. Ernesto is different from all the others. He is a man, on top of that, very sensible and very calm. A man who knows the club very well, knows how to run the locker room of a magnificent way and motivating everyone, those who play, those who don’t play, and also with a mix of experience plus new blood. Having him in the club is a real luxury and I am very happy for him,” Uriarte concluded.