• Kijera.The 'Miracle Captain' of Mirandés

On March 18, 2017, Jon Guridi debuted as a starter with the first Real Sociedad team. A week later, he returned to the branch to face Bilbao Athletic, but an injury that dragged his knee forced him to go through the operating room. He reappeared in January 2018, 10 months later, but could only play four games, as the inconvenience persisted. It stopped again from March to October, a year and seven months of Calvary in total.

On August 31, 2018, it was Martín Merquelanz who received the alternative with the elastic txuriurdin in Ipurua. He replaced Illarramendi in the 85th minute, but before the game ended, the anterior cruciate ligament of his right knee broke . He did not play an official game again until August 17, almost a year later.

Tonight, football gives both an opportunity for compensation as they would have never imagined . They are two of the key pieces of the historic Mirandés that is within a goal of qualifying for the final of the Copa del Rey. The diabolical particularity of such an unlikely challenge is that the opponent is the Real Sociedad, his Real Sociedad. And not only because, both Guipuzcoans - Merquelanz is from Irun and Guridi from Azpeitia - are fans of the San Sebastian club since childhood, but because they still belong to the Txuriurdin discipline. As also happens to his teammate Modibo Sagnan, tonight they can leave the club that pays them without a cup final and they will return to the next preseason. There is no fear clause that is worth it.

«It is a life or death tie. This year we are from Mirandés and we will give everything to reach the final. Whoever doubts us, weak favor is doing us », they both remarked in a joint appearance before the first leg in the Reale Arena , resolved 2-1. And in good faith they showed it in what was their stadium and will be again tomorrow. Both Guridi, midfielder, and Merquelanz, far left, curdled a great meeting in which the Mirandés deserved more and that, in any case, served to keep the tie for tonight's commitment completely alive.

In Miranda de Ebro, just an hour and a half drive from San Sebastián, both have found the perfect springboard to overcome their past misfortunes and claim their place in professional football. Born both in 1995 , they are being decisive pieces in the project commanded by Andoni Iraola. In the case of Guridi, he was already an important man in the ascent to Second of the past year after joining the winter market, already fully recovered from his knee problems. And Merquelanz, who arrived in Anduva in summer, is being one of the best players in the Second Division and in January had several offers to finish the year in First.

The end has an almost secured place in the realistic squad next year, more in the face of the difficulties that are glimpsed in San Sebastian to retain his list of attackers, while Guridi could benefit from the already announced Zurutuza march at the end of this course. In the case of Merquelanz, Real is already working on the renewal of its contract, which expires in 2021. Guridi, meanwhile, has signed until 2022.

A priori, both will start tonight, although the end has been three games out of action for a shoulder injury that seems solved, since since Monday he has trained with apparent normalcy. Beyond that mishap, the two have enjoyed an iron health so far this season: both have played 31 games out of a total of 36. Only goalkeeper Limones (33) and striker Marcos André (32) have participated in more encounters than them. Misfortune once united Guridi and Merquelanz and today glory can do it.

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