Five of the 1984 champions join the Copa mission

Reinforcements of a morale-boosting nature have arrived at the team hotel on the eve of Saturday’s Copa del Rey final. On Friday evening a flight containing five of the last Athletic side to win the Copa, plus former champion José Ángel Iribar, will arrive in Seville. The six former players are: Andoni Goikoetxea, Santi Urkiaga, Patxi Salinas, Txetxu Gallego and Carlos Meléndez, all of whom are Athletic Club employees.

The Athletic legends flew alongside the rest of the board of directors -Aitor Elizegi travelled with the team on Thursday- and three former club presidents: Ana Urquijo, José Julián Lertxundi and Fernando García Macua. In addition, principal sponsors and club employees from Lezama and Ibaigane have travelled down to Anadalusia. All of them join the entire first-team coaching staff as well as Rafa Alkorta and Aritz Aduriz.

Athletic also invited Socio No.1 José Antonio Virumbrales to accompany the team as a representative of the fans, but unfortuntaley he was not able to make the journey.