Tin Tin thrown to the Lions!

By: Elisa | April 22nd, 2008

Our boys from Athletic Bilbao thrashed Valencia 5 -1 at el Catedral, San Mames!!!

It all started with a Guard of Honor for the new Copa Del Rey champs and ended in a gran victory for Los Leones.

Javi Martinez, our leader in the midfield, kick started the thrashing, with a easy peasy goal. Too bad Timo was MIA, eh Cesar? Valencia never looked dangerous, IMO.

In the second half, Tin Tin brings in Joaquin and El Moro to spearhead the attack. Out goes Arizmendi and Maduro. These substitutions leave a lot of gaps in the midfield and in the back for Los Che. Shortly thereafter, my man of the match, Joseba Exteberria slots in a beautiful pass, that our boy in form, Llorente pokes in past Mora. 2 nil! Extebe looking Zidanesque through out the game.

In the 66th minute, Llorente cuts through the Valencia defense and tries to lob the keeper. Mora blocks the shot but sends it right back to LLorente 3 nil!!! To quote Linda Ronstadt, It’s So Easy!

Llorente and co. exuding confidence and intensity.

The Bats get a lucky break as Villa’s free kick deflects off Amorebieta and in the back of the net. 3 -1. Pobre Amorebieta, he’s such a stallwarth in our defense. Kudos for looking strong and steady without his partner in crime, Aitor Ocio, who is out injured.

Los Vascos don’t fret and with five minutes left, Extebe baby releases a killer pass to Iraola (aka young George Harrison) who scores from close range 4 -1!!! Unbelievable!

Los Rojiblancos score one more for good measure. This time super sub Aduritz with a nice header in extra time from a cross from you know who? Exteberria En fuego! Sizzling!!!!! Everyone wants to play!

Our friends at goal.com have ranked all of our players with a 7 or better for this top notch performance! Super Sub David Lopez and Bored to Tears Goalie Armando with 7’s to our super Zurrigori Exteberria with a 9!!! Only to be outdone by Big Bird Fernando Llorente with a 9.5!!! Can you say player of the week? Is Llorente finally living up to his potential? It could happen!

I gotta pinch myself! Is this a dream? Damn it feels good! Love how the Bilbainos sang through out the game, Koeman Quedate! (Koeman Stay!) Sweet eh?

And how is the club taking it all in? Well, we have to go to the Bernabeu next week, so we gotta keep our feet firmly on the ground. Los Blancos feel pretty confident that they will capture the title with a win this Sunday. Hmmmm, maybe it’ll be postponed one more week. Hee Hee! Hee! Vamanos!

7 players are now on the Bilbao medical list. Yeste, Gorka, Del Horno, Orbaiz, Aitor Ocio, David Cuellar, and Iñaki Muñoz. Damn!

Athletic are now part of the Intertoto draw along with 9 (yes 9!) teams from Spain. El Athletic, Villarreal (huh?), Atletico Madrid (Los Pulpes?), Espanyol, Valencia (ya right!), Zaragoza (wishful thinking), Sevilla (whuh?), Getafe (poor babies) and Deportivo.

The Premiership vultures are circling around our defender Amorebieta. Stay away! Newcastle (dream on!), Chelski (bling bling), Casa del Merseyside, and Manure (bling via credit card). Yes, I know Basque players like the cold and do reasonably well in England. But no! Fernando wants to stay at Athletic, but of course money talks… A little background on our boy - Fernando was born in Venezuela, both his parents are Basque and he returned to Paises Vasco when he was very young and worked his way up through the academy ranks. Thus he qualifies as a bonafide Vasco.

Gurpegui will play his first game vs El Madrid. Our boy has been banned from the game for two years after being tested positive for the drug nandrolone, four years ago. Carlos and his lawyers appealed to no avail, claiming that they had medical proof that his body created nandrolone naturally. The past is past and now he is back in our central midfield and just in time to make a difference! It’s as if we acquired a brand new player. Welcome back Carlos!

Five more games and 46 points. Hasta Luego! Aupa Athletic!