We always have Athletic

The third advent of the Gabarra arrives, Holy Grail and red-and-white myth par excellence, along with Iribar and San Mamés. More than a million people are expected to throw in their lot, a whole army made up of loyal followers with an unbreakable sense of belonging and proud, almost arrogant, of a singular philosophy, as peculiar as it is wonderfully anachronistic. Their sentimental relationship with Athletic is intense and indestructible, forged since they were little and does not take into account ages, races, genders, economic resources or social scales, since its transversality reaches all geographical and sociological corners.

Today is a day dreamed of for many years. The most accomplished have never forgotten what they experienced in '83 and '84 and were eager to repeat it. The younger ones, tired of listening to so much battle, longed to have that experience that with the passage of time has acquired almost magical overtones. Repeaters and debutants, boys and girls, young people and adults, everyone will joyfully gather on both banks of the Nervión to celebrate not only a title that has resisted too much, but to reclaim once again the deep bond that exists between the team and its fans. . Many shared feelings where an undisguised and colossal pride of belonging stands out that grows with a victory as well as seeing several of our young players, instead of hiding, set up a conga in the middle of the street sharing with the fans the joy they feel.

Another issue to highlight to better understand the red and white universe is that the Athletic fan moves with great ease in the territory of exaggeration. These have been times of collective madness that we have experienced in recent weeks and that will end with the delirium of the barge. The fever was such that there was a danger that it would eventually influence the players. Fortunately they knew how to handle it in decisive moments. Ohian scored, Yulen stopped, Alex did not miss and with a bang that must have been heard on the moon, the desert crossing concluded. Suddenly four decades of drought and a few frustrations seemed like a reasonable price to enjoy full, extreme and unspeakable happiness. And in the midst of the screams, hugs and cries, many of us remember our absences, which we all have.

Mine was called Pablo. A few years ago he was going through a very difficult moment in his life, involved in a very painful separation with children involved. In the midst of the anxiety, Athletic was playing a Cup tie in Valladolid. And there he went with his scarf to the stage of pneumonia, alone, during the week and in the middle of winter. The match was horrible, the wind was inclement, the cold was polar, and I don't even remember the result. The next day, I asked him how he was feeling. "Good. Thank goodness there is always Athletic left” he replied. How right you were brother. And no matter what happens, rain or shine, real or metaphorically speaking, we will always have Athletic. With barge or without it. That is the least.

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