Polish, thank you for your donation.

My radio debut calling an away match was at San Mamés. More than forty years ago, in the midst of the dispute between Athletic and Barça over Maradona's injury following a violent tackle by Goikoetxea. During the broadcast, standing in the middle of the crowd, I had to endure the insults of a veteran Lions fan, wearing a txapela and breathing heavily with "kalimotxos," who stood two feet from my face. Fortunately, the timely intervention of Carles Vilarrubí, the newly appointed secretary general of Catalunya Ràdio, managed to calm the individual's mood, and I was able to complete the broadcast without any major disruption. On the next visit to the Cathedral, things were more bizarre. The Blaugrana, with two goals from a recovered Pelusa, took the victory amid a very charged atmosphere, to the misfortune of the audio technician, Miquel Marimón, whose wallet was inadvertently stolen while he was queuing at one of the bars in the stands. What a surprise it was upon arriving at the traditional Ercilla Hotel when a member of the National Police returned Miquel's wallet, which had been found lying on the stadium stairs. It was empty of cash, but the thieves had taken the trouble to leave a written note, which read: "Polaco, thank you for your donation to Athletic." Marimón lamented, especially since he wasn't a Barça fan, but a well-known "perico" (beautiful black and white fan), whose father had been the president of the Reus "penya blanc i blava" (white and blue fan club).

It must be acknowledged that those thieves were grateful, quite the opposite of what is happening with the disproportionate reaction that the signing of Nico Williams by Barça is provoking in Bilbao, after Barça paid the fifty-eight million euro buyout clause, which should inspire some kind of gratitude for the red-and-whites, given how full their coffers will be.

Look how utterly illogical Jon Uriarte's tantrum is, a young lad eager for action, trained at the University of Deusto's business school, that even Javier Clemente has challenged the Athletic Club president. The coach believes the reason lies with the player and Barça. How long ago are the days when one of the San Mamés stands was named after Jesús Garay, because it was built thanks to the 5 million pesetas he earned from his transfer to Barça. Or how Beti Duñabeitia couldn't resist the 100-kilo heel Núñez signed for Alexanko's record signing and, years later, for Zubizarreta's move to Camp Nou, negotiated by Gaspart in a motorway hotel near Zaragoza. Other times.