Malin Moström presides the box in the match against Alavés

Malin Möstrom, the splendid first One Club Woman Award, will be the main guest in the box of San Mamés this Saturday in the match against Alavés. Accompanied by her family, the former Umeå IK player will enjoy the match between Athletic Club and the team of Gasteiz. Moström will receive in the break of the match the award with which Athletic Club has granted her.

Jose Manuel Esnal, Mané, who was coach of both Alavés and Athletic in two moments as important as opposed in the history of the two teams, will be another of the illustrious names that will attend the box of San Mamés. Former presidents José Julián Lertxundi and Ana Urquijo will also be present, as well as the number 1 partner, Juan Antonio Virumbrales.

Iñaki Díez and Alberto Martín of our clubs Santutxu FC and JD Somorrostro will also be there, and the usual representation of the fan groups with the Peña Athletic La Vall, Peña Athletic Vila-Real, Leones de Barcelona, Athletic Antón, Txalaparta, Los Iñakis, Zurrakapote and Pedro Aurtenetxe.

The match against Alaves will also have its corresponding derby of mayors with Juan Mari Aburto as local for the visit of Gorka Urtaran. Beatriz Artolazabal and Bingen Zupiria will also be in the box.

With today’s match in San Mamés, adding friendlies and officials, there are 105 the matches played by Athletic Club and Deportivo Alavés. December 1924, a few months before inauguration of Mendizorrotza, was the first time the two teams met, with a result of 1 to 4 in favor of the lions. That was the first match on the Alavés pitch, which has undergone other historic encounters between the two teams.

As a positive result for Athletic, the match of 16 April 1956 is remembered. On that day, the second to last day of the league, Athletic’s 0-3 victory practically ensured their sixth Liga title, which they completed the following week in San Mamés.

Also, although less intense, brings back positive memories the achievement in 1974 of the “Navarro Basque Trophy. Bodas de Oro del Deportivo Alavés” after winning Real Sociedad and Deportivo Alavés in the semifinals and final respectively. Nowadays, in the presidential box, we can see objects from the two anniversaries, the Golden Anniversary of the Deportivo Alavés, and the Diamond Anniversary of the Athletic Club.

From the Alavés anniversary the banner delivered in the final of the mentioned tournament is shown. From the red-and-white team the gift made by the club of Gasteiz to the Athletic Club: two lions hold the shield of the Athletic flanked by two tusks of elephant ivory. The president of Alaves was Juan Arregui, the same one who in 1985 gave away the lion that is in the Museum.