Madrid, May 23 (EFE). – Atletico de Madrid on Sunday in the Spanish capital’s Wanda Metropolitano arena acquired the La Liga Santander 2020-2021 championship trophy the team secured upon beating Valladolid 2-1 on the street the day before.
Team captain Jorge Resurreccion”Koke” recognized the Cup from the hands of Royal Spanish Football Federation president Luis Rubiales and raised it overhead, even though the scene was empty of lovers, with just soccer police and team members’ relatives on hand, although countless fans cheered the group from outside the place.
Also attending the service was Spanish Culture and Sports Minister Jose Manuel Rodriguez Uribes, Madrid Community President israel Diaz Ayuso and Madrid Mayor Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida.
Atletico striker Luis Suarez affirmed on Sunday following the group received the prize that he will stay with the team next season, after being La Liga’s top scorer this year with 21 tallies.
When asked if he would be with the team next year, Suarez responded”Yes. Yes. Obviously” in an interview with Movistar on the pitch outfitted in his No. 9 jersey Team president Enrique Cerezo acknowledged during the ceremony that the team’s happiness”is not complete” due to the death on Saturday of a 13-year-old fan named Saul in an accident on Madrid’s Plaza de Santa Ana while observing the team’s championship.
“May 23 will remain in the memory of all of the athletes since we achieved our 11th La Liga title. It was a day filled with emotions, but our happiness is not complete due to the passing of a young athlete, a dreadful misfortune that rips away from us a member of the’rojiblanca’ family. Our hearts are with him and his relatives and friends,” Cerezo said.
The child died in the underground parking garage at the Plaza de Santa Ana when he hit a wall while glancing out of the van in which he had been riding, waving an Atletico banner.
Koke placed on the statue of Neptune’s fountain a black armband”in memory and from respect for the young athlete,” for whom the flag in Wanda Metropolitano is flying at half-staff.
Cerezo thanked the group’s fans for their support”both in the positive and negative moments” this year, a year which”hasn’t been easy” because of this lack of fans in the stands because of coronavirus gathering restrictions.
“Seeing this stadium with no people breaks one’s heart, but we are fighting against the pandemic and shortly we will be able to defeat it,” he said, heading on to thank the team’s most important stockholder and CEO, Miguel Angel Gil Marin, also calling him a”friend and partner.”
Cerezo went on to say “over the previous eight decades, Barcelona has won four championships, Real Madrid 2 and we 2,” adding that it was hard for him to”conceal my pride” in being president of”the best club on the planet.”
Meanwhile, club striker Joao Felix on Sunday following the presentation of the trophy said that he had been”happy” being together with the clubadding to Movistar he will remain on board”to have good seasons and acquire more titles.”
“I had been having a fantastic season, then later some things occurred, but I’m here. I am committed to the club. I am happy right here and to continue to have great seasons and win more titles,” he explained.
The best moment of this season was beating Valladolid and clinching the title, and the worst moments were when”I suffered the (right ankle) injury and it hindered me somewhat from continuing to perform along with doing my best… but I am left with great memories and with this particular title,” he said, add that today he’ll start preparing for the Eurocup to”try and win it.”
Madrid Mayor Martinez-Almeida, in his remarks at the service, confessed Atletico’s Argentine coach Diego Simeone, saying:”Diego, winning names is not so hard. What’s hard is altering background about, and you also changed the history of this group once you arrived in 2011.”
