Spanish football’s two biggest clubs have tonight sent messages of congratulations the way of Athletic Club.
As much, of course, comes on a historic night for all associated with the Basque outfit.
Athletic marked their return to action a short time ago, making the trip to Seville for a Copa del Rey finale showdown with RCD Mallorca.
Ernesto Valverde’s troops headed into proceedings with the weight of a city on their shoulders, desperate to bring to an end a trophy drought spanning a full 40 years.
And, when all was said and done on Saturday, end the club’s trophy curse is precisely what they managed.
After Oihan Sancet cancelled out Dani Rodríguez’s opener early in the 2nd-half, the two sides could not be separated through either the full-time whistle, or an ensuing 30 minutes of extra time.
Proceedings, as a result, were sent to a penalty shootout.
And it was Athletic who held their nerve from 12 yards, dispatching four of their spot-kicks to Mallorca’s two, to clinch the 2023/24 Copa del Rey title.
Messages of congratulations, in turn, have since come flooding in for a club with a rich history in Spanish football.
And, as alluded to above, two such messages have come by way of none other than Barcelona, and Real Madrid.
In respective posts on their official social media platforms late on Saturday night, the Clásico rivals showcased their class, as can be seen below:
Conor Laird | GSFN
