When Panizo scored six goals against Levante

Athletic Club take on Levante UD at San Mamés this Sunday at 14:00 (CET). It will be the 31st official match between the two sides. Over the years, the two teams have had many memorable clashes, but perhaps none more so than the first.

Their first encounter is best remembered for one of the best goalscoring performances in Athletic Club’s history. It took place on May 4, 1947 in the home-leg of a Copa del Rey round-of-16 tie, with the Valencian club visiting San Mamés for the first time.

Levante started well and by the 22nd minute the visitors were 0-2 up, leaving Athletic with a mountain to climb. That was when striker José Luis López Panizo rose to the occasion, putting in one of the finest performances ever witnessed in the iconic red-and-white strip.

The club legend, who would retire with 169 goals in 417 games across 17 seasons, scored six times for Athletic against Levante in that Copa match. Panizo turned into a living nightmare for the Valencian outfit. They watched on as the forward single-handedly destroyed any hopes they had of knocking the lions out of the tournament.

The Sestao native scored four goals before the half-time whistle blew -in the 24th, 31st, 37th and 41st minute- the first coming from the penalty spot. In the final period of the fixture, Panizo killed off the game with two more goals. His fifth, in the 73rd minute, was also a penalty and the last goal came in the 81st minute.

It was an incredible achievement, which was only bettered once in the history of Athletic in the Copa del Rey. Just two weeks later, another club legend, Piru Gainza, scored eight times against Celta Vigo at San Mamés, as Athletic beat the Galicians 12-1 in the quarter-finals.