Athletic Club players and coaching staff will celebrate Saturday's Copa del Rey final win over Mallorca on their famous barge – La Gabarra – after picking up a first major trophy in 40 years.
One of Spain's most famous and historic clubs, Athletic have won La Liga eight times and are now 25-time champions of the Copa del Rey – but the Basque outfit had not lifted either trophy since a league and cup double in 1983/84.
The Bilbao-based side beat Mallorca on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Seville on Saturday night and there were wild celebrations among the thousands of fans who had travelled to the Andalusian city – and also in a packed San Mames where supporters watched on big screens in the middle of the pitch.
It is traditional for Athletic to celebrate their major trophies on the club's famous barge, La Gabarra, and the club confirmed that the boat will be readied for the players to set sail on the vessel amid the festivities on Thursday.
"After 40 years and six consecutive lost finals, La Gabarra, with a team of champions aboard, will finally set sail again and celebrate this new triumph with the Athleticzale family," the club said on their website.
Athletic did not use La Gabarra for either of their Spanish Supercopa wins in recent years, having claimed that trophy in both 2015 and 2021.
Coach Ernesto Valverde, who was in charge for the 2015 Supercopa success and has won trophies at both Barcelona and Olympiacos, said after the game that this one was special.
"This title cannot be compared to any other," he said. "With other teams I have had the need to win and I have celebrated [but] this represents something special for the time we have spent pursuing it, for the finals lost and for what the Copa means to Athletic."
Athletic are two points off fourth place in LaLiga and with Champions League qualification still a possibility with eight fixtures remaining, the Basque club have decided to restrict their Copa celebrations to just Thursday.
The Bilbao side are at home to Villarreal in LaLiga on Sunday.
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