Watch how Athletic Bilbao the players celebrated the end of the 40-year trophy drought on a barge called “La Gabarra”.
Hundreds of thousands of supporters were expected to line the banks of the BilbaoRiver Nervion on Thursday 11th April to watch the celebrations.
The Spanish team won Mallorca 4-2 on penalties on Saturday to beat the King’s Cup title – the first since 1984 – ending a four-decade wait for the title in a nerve-wracking final in Seville.
Athletic have endured years of heartache, having lost six consecutive Spanish Cup finals and a Europa League final to Atletico Madrid in 2012.
But, supported by around 50 thousand fans who invaded Seville and outnumbered Mallorca fans in the packed La Cartuja stadium, with capacity for 60 thousand spectators, the club left all the trauma behind to achieve the long-awaited victory in a final very disputed.
The game ended 1-1 after extra time before 23-year-old goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala, who made some brilliant saves during the game, saved a penalty in the shootout.
