Aduriz: I will help Athletic Bilbao until my last day

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The forward revelled in his unforgettable 89th-minute winner against La Liga champions Barcelona

Aritz Aduriz said he will always be available to help Athletic Bilbao until the last day after his stunning bicycle kick downed Barcelona 1-0 in the La Liga opener.

Aduriz plans to retire at season's end but the 38-year-old Bilbao star showed he still has plenty of football left in the tank thanks to his unforgettable 89th-minute winner on Friday.

The club great scored within a minute of his introduction via a spectacular overhead kick against the La Liga champions at San Mames.

The Spanish striker, who played for the club three separate times throughout his career,Â has been with Athletic Bilbao since 2012 and has scored 172 goals in 391 games.

He's also featured for Real Valladolid, Mallorca and Valencia while earning 13 caps for Spain while making 13 appearances for the Basque County team.

Aduriz's goal saw him match a Lionel Messi scoring feat, having now scored in 15 consecutive seasons in Spain's top flight, and the veteran striker revelled in the result.

ð——ð—¼ð—» ð—”ð—¿ð—¶ð˜ð˜‡ ð—”ð—±ð˜‚ð—¿ð—¶ð˜‡ ð—ð˜‚ð—¯ð—²ð—¹ð—±ð—¶ð—® #AthleticBarÃ§a #AthleticClub Â pic.twitter.com/ynTlM0ly9v

"The team has been amazing," Aduriz told reporters.Â "There is no better way to start than by adding three points against Barca.Â

"I said I was going to be there to help Athletic until the last day and today I have been able to prove it.

"The atmosphere of San Mames is always insurmountable, but it is true that today people have taken this game even more eagerly.Â

"Athletic's base is young people.Â You have to give them confidence and go slowly with them.Â They will help us a lot throughout the year."

"Dedicated to my family and everyone who supports me," Aduriz said of the goal.Â "These kind of things make football so beautiful."

"Everything in life has a start and a finish. I'm grateful to be able to choose to end things where I'm happiest," he continued.

Â Y el gran protagonista de la noche, Aritz Aduriz:Â "Dije que iba a estar para ayudar al Athletic hasta el Ãºltimo dÃa y hoy he podido demostrarlo"#AthleticBarÃ§a #AthleticClub Â pic.twitter.com/vzLPzGDgja

Inaki Williams, who signed a nine-year contract extension with Bilbao following links to Manchester United, added: "I am very happy for Adu.Â

"It's his last season and I want him to say goodbye with as many goals as possible."

Athletic Bilbao will face Getfe in their next match while Barcelona will look ahead to a clash with Real Betis.

2019-08-17 10:00:03

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