Pablo Ibáñez's great night
The Osasuna midfielder was the hero of his team in San Mames and shares his happiness after an unforgettable goal.
He had not scored any goal yet with Osasuna, but the first one, for more than obvious reasons, he will remember for the rest of his life. It may even be that none of them will be as important, as this one was worth the pass to the final of the Copa del Rey. Pablo Ibáñez, 24 years old, is already part of the history of the club after his appearance in the 116th minute of the second leg against Athletic Club (1-1).
"You always have that illusion, you always have the thought that maybe today is the day that I score the winning goal that helps the team. But, once it happens, that feeling is unmatched," confessed the Osasuna player after enjoying a memorable party on the lawn of San Mames.
Pablo Ibáñez, the hero of a beautiful night, will never forget this April 4. At the end of the match, all his teammates went to congratulate him and to give him credit for his stunning goal in the 116th minute that opened the gates to heaven. "I don't even remember what they said to me. I was on cloud nine," explained the player.
In the stands of San Mamés, with more than 50,000 voices, was Pablo's family. And when he hugged his cousin, he collapsed: "We both got emotional, my family was there. I broke down, I got emotional, he knows what I've been working for since I was a kid". That goal sums up the effort of all these years, a reward for the commitment and professionalism of a boy who spent six years at Tajonar and then had to mature away from home before returning.
The midfielder was 7 years old when Osasuna played its first and, to date, only Copa del Rey final. The Navarros will now have another big night on May 6 in Seville, at La Cartuja. And that's thanks to a great goal by Pablo Ibáñez, who made his debut this season in the first team of Osasuna, the club of his heart since he was a child, and will now be remembered forever.