Falcao leaves Bilbao in tears

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There was a certain fluid beauty about the young Athletic side from Bilbao in the Europa League this season.

They embarked on a dream run in the group stage, beating a combative Salzburg and a strong PSG, and thereafter dispatched Lokomotiv Moscow in the Round of 32.

In the Round of 16, the young Basque terriers faced the giants from the red half of Manchester, who had made a disgraceful exit from the Champions League and had a point to prove in the Europa League.

What followed over the course of a week was a masterclass in attacking football, with the Athletic club playing a high tempo, high pressure,ruthless game; their youngsters exposing the United players for their obvious lack of technical ability.

It was bewildering at times to watch defence transform into attack, as Marcelo ‘El Loco’ Bielsa’s men re-wrote the meaning of total football for those two matches.

What was highly evident, more so than their skill and ability, was their extremely high level of fitness, something which caught even the boys from the Premier League — often thought to be the fastest, most demanding league in the world — unawares.

Equally impressive performances against Schalke and Sporting Lisbon followed, and they arrived on the 9th of May in Bucharest to face Atletico Madrid, in what promised to be a spectacular finale to a European trophy which at times provides a greater quality of football than the Champions League.

The final was a bit of a let down, however, as Falcao decided to take matters into his own hands with two superbly finished goals in the first half before Diego topped it off with a late cherry. Bilbao looked disjointed, and out of ideas.

They barely strung a chance together till the 80th minute, and the tears at the end told the entire story. So near, yet so very far for the boys from Basque, but they have a King’s Cup final to look forward to now. Barca await.