Heynckes-Gurpegui reencounter 16 years later

Jupp Heynckes met the new San Mamés yesterday. He had arrived at Bilbao to attend the funeral of his friend Fernando Ochoa, a key man in the signing of the German by Athletic in the 1992-93 season. The president, Aitor Elizegi, sent him an invitation to attend the main box in the match against Barcelona, but the laureate technical could not stay until tomorrow for family matters. So he was taken on a guided tour through the stadium with an endearing expedition, not to be missed by Jose Angel Iribar, his translator Otto Tarnow and José Julián Lertxundi, his president in the first stage.

He arrived in impeccable black as a tribute to Ochoa. He was amazed by the pitch in all its facets. And it can be said that he even felt a little envious of not sitting on the local bench again. He portrayed himself on Pichichi’s bust and, when he entered the local changing room, he found a great surprise.

There he was awaited by Carlos Gurpegui, the exemplary player of the Club who made his debut in Heynckes’ second stage in Bilbao, where he got sparks on the pitch and supported everything and more in the unpleasant extradeportive affair. His tears are still remembered in the press room. They have maintained contact at distance for a long time, but had not embraced each other for 16 years.

It was very emotional to see Gurpegui giving Jupp Heynckes the personalised shirt with the number 11, with which the German myth made his best in Borussia Mönchengladbach.

The delicious dinner afterwards at the San Mamés Jatetxea directed by Fernando Canales gave the opportunity to talk about a thousand anecdotes between Jupp, Gurpegui and Iribar. It was evident that they are two people who marked the technician, who has in his heart the Athletic forever. He promised to attend some match live. Pure history.