Three months ago, few outside of Bilbao, apart from the very football fans, knew well who Asier Villalibre was (Guernica and Luno, 1997).
Today, anyone knows that he is that Athletic striker with the immense beard, one of the heroes of the Super Cup, the player that Messi attacked and, why fool us, the uncle with the trumpet.
Sudden fame before which he constantly repeats a word: «naturalness».
And it's not a pose, nothing about it is.
Did the Super Cup change your life? I would not say so much, because my life is still the same, but it has changed it a bit emotionally because of everything I experienced.
To say, "Joé, I have won a title with Athletic", which for me is the greatest thing I could achieve.
And I did it. Did you dream of winning a title as a child? You don't even think about it.
Just thinking about playing for Athletic was an incredible dream for me.
Winning a title was unimaginable, as much or more was said about the trumpet than about his goal, which forced extra time at the last minute.
Does it bother you? No, what's up, I took it well.
Let's see, it's true that I would have liked to have recognized the game you made or the goal you scored more than the trumpet.
But it is understandable, they are special things that are not seen in any other team: the goals, the trumpet, the beard, his way of expressing himself.
In a way, he has become a well-known character very quickly, but people are not used to seeing footballers so natural, so like that.
I do not know.
In the end I am like that in my daily life with my friends.
He expressed me like that, I speak like that and I act like that. How's fame doing?
Nor is it anything exaggerated.
I wear it normally.
I don't get stressed, nor do I think anything strange.
I wear it naturally, which I think is the way to wear it.
I have never thought that I can be more for being a footballer, it gives the feeling of being impassive.
Do you ever get nervous in the field? Well, of course, like everyone else.
It is true that I have a more serious expression, that I do not flinch much, but inside the nerves are always there.
In the final, not on the pitch, but in the stands I was very, very nervous. That's what I was going for. Well, you know.
When you are not doing things yourself, you have more uncertainty, more nerves.
Like when you drive.
If you drive it, you go easy.
If you are a co-pilot, then you are still more attentive, it comes out alone. He made his debut very young, but later there were several transfers and little presence in the first team.
Did you ever think your train had passed? I didn't think of anything bad.
It is true that I had bad moments, but I never thought of throwing in the towel.
In the end the important thing is to get out of that and get stronger with the bumps.
It was like that, I kept going and now I'm doing much better. There have always been many expectations about you, the heir of Aduriz. It is normal for the public to think that.
Aduriz is a striker who has made history at Athletic and seeing that his years are ending, people are looking for someone to replace him.
I've always said the same thing, that you have to be patient because things don't happen overnight. Let's talk about the final.
He knows that it is much more than a final, that the result will remain for generations due to rivalry. A Basque derby is the most special match that can be experienced and above all in a Cup final ... We are going to take it as calmly as possible, Charging ourselves with pressure would be the worst thing we could do. Do you feel the pressure of the possibility of making history? At the moment we are living now, you may not perceive it as much.
When you go out on the street, there are always people who tell you and that.
But as now it does not come out much, just in case, and there are not so many people, because you do not see that atmosphere that there could have been other times.
That helps us to be calmer.
I remember other Athletic finals when I was a child and it was all amazing. Tell me. The first final after so many years [2009, against Barça], was in Primary.
At school we went to take a photo, all dressed in Athletic, and there was an incredible atmosphere.
And now I'm living all of this in the first person, within the team! Does Orsay -your music group- have something special prepared in case of victory? We continue to rehearse every week, but we don't think about that.
We think about winning and if we win we will see what we do.
First of all, the game.
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
Know more
Athletic Bilbao
Real society
FC Barcelona
Copa del Rey
Leo Messi
sports
Copa del Rey The Federation confirms that the final between Athletic and Real will be behind closed doors
Copa del ReyHundreds of fans violate health measures to fire Athletic in Lezama
Copa del ReyThe ecstasy of Piqué and Lopetegui's anger with the referee: "It's time to swallow poison"
See links of interest
2021 business calendar
Espanyol - Fuenlabrada
Mallorca - Leganés
TD Systems Baskonia - Anadolu Efes Istanbul
Las Palmas - Lugo
Real Zaragoza - FC Cartagena