The feat of Captain Moreno

Forged in fire between Second B -where he debuted with the Valencia subsidiary at the age of 20 – and, above all, in Monday Aeight seasons in a row with the Xerez, Vicente Moreno lived, enjoyed and suffered in equal parts the experience of the Andalusians in First DivisionIn the season 2009-10in which it was captain and emblem, as well as a participant in the greatest feat of that fleeting step for the highest category. In the field of Atletico Madrid.

between week, On a Wednesday, in April like now (specifically, on the 14th), Moreno visited the rojiblancos, led by Quique Sánchez Flores. In a half-empty Vicente Calderónwith 22,000 spectators, oblivious to the epic that Xerez needed to maintain the category, bottom already eight points from permanence with only seven days to go. And that he used thoroughly. With the current head coach of Espanyol, wearing the armband and playing the 90 minutes of the most prestigious victory of a championship in which they only beat Villarreal (which was not yet what it is today), Mallorca, Málaga, Tenerife, Valladolid, Almería and Real Zaragoza.

With Nestor Gorosito –the third coach of the season– at the controls, a much more combinative Xerez soon advanced than the troubles command with a header from Mario Bermejo against De Gea, at 9′, neutralized after three minutes by a shot from Forlan for the entire squad. But the blue delirium came in 72′, again a stubborn, but Armenteroswhen finishing off a lateral free kick thrown by Orellana. To Moreno, who he saw a yellow card in the final stretch that would prevent him from playing the following day, the triumph tasted like glory. Same as the rest.

Xerez could not be savedwhich despite so much hardship was only three points from the shore, while Atlético – who was fired that night between whistles – finished ninth in LaLiga but entered continental competitions because they won nothing less than the Europa League. From the permanence that he did not achieve then, Vicente Moreno is now taking revenge, for the first time in his career as a player and coach. and he stays the pending account of achieving another victory against Atlético, no longer at the Calderón, but at the Wanda Metropolitano.