Bilbao, 4 apr. Jagoba Arrasate, Osasuna’s coach, was very happy that his team qualified for the Copa del Rey final following drawing in San Mamés once morest Athletic Club with a goal by Pablo Ibáñez in the 116th minute, following making “a survival exercise” in ‘The Cathedral’.
“Now I do believe it. It’s been an epic Cup. We wanted penalties, but Pablo’s goal puts us in the final and it’s something very big for us. It’s time to enjoy it,” stressed the coach of the Navarrese team, who expressed his desire to “get to Pamplona soon” to celebrate the pass to the final.
Arrasate admitted that they had to “suffer a lot” once morest a “great team” and assured that the experience in extreme situations from previous qualifiers served them well in Bilbao.
“With the 1-0 the tie has been balanced. From then on it was difficult for us to shake off the pressure and Athletic was able to make it 2-0, but in extra time it was different. We had the freshness of the changes and we already did it I have seen differently, but in the first 90 minutes Athletic has been superior”, he acknowledged.
Finally, the Osasunista coach was especially happy for Pablo Ibáñez, author of the goal that put his team in the final and a player “who did not have it easy and had to leave” Tajonar. “He deserves it and I am very happy that he was the one who entered history,” he concluded. EFE
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