Appointment with history: A historic classic against Sporting
The next league clash against the Asturian team invites us to revisit a historic duel at Ipurua.
Real Sporting de Gijón is not just any rival in the history of Eibar. In fact, it is the team that the armero team has faced the most times, even when narrowing the focus to the Second Division. A total of 35 matches have been played between the two in the silver category, along with four encounters in the First Division and another seven in the Copa del Rey, spread across four knockout rounds. This is no small detail: throughout its cup history, Eibar has only coincided with the same rival on four occasions, and Sporting is on that privileged list alongside Athletic Club, Racing de Santander, and Cultural de Durango.
To find the origin of this long shared journey, one must go back to the 1954-55 season, Eibar's debut in the Second Division (North Group). Sporting's first visit to Ipurua took place on January 9, 1955, on an afternoon marked by heavy rain and a completely muddy pitch. Before the ball started rolling, two bouquets of flowers were presented to the visiting captain, Prendes, and the president of Eibar, in a gesture that preceded a match now inscribed in memory.
That day, Antonio Corral's Eibar lined up with Edu, Echarri, Cans, Antonio Ansola, San Martín, Igoa II, Larrabeiti, "El Negro" Valdés, Luis Mari Aranegui, Llona, and Guridi. The score opened in the 15th minute when the visitor Sagredo sent the ball into his own net. Sporting's response was swift, and nine minutes later, Prendes restored parity, which remained until halftime.
The second half definitively tilted the match in favor of the Armeros. As soon as the game resumed, the Añorgatarra Igoa II put Eibar ahead again and, shortly after, Manu Larrabeiti —an adopted Eibar resident on loan from Real Sociedad— sealed the score with the third goal. For the midfielder, born in Mungia but settled in Eibar from a young age, it was his first as a blue-and-red player.
The chronicles of the time highlighted the remarkable defensive work of the Elgoibartarra Antonio Ansola, tasked with marking the Asturian figure Prendes, as well as the intervention of the visiting goalkeeper Sión, who saved a penalty taken by the Donostiarra Echarri in the final minutes. As a finale, it became anecdotal that Eibar's coach, the always charismatic Antonio Corral, left Ipurua whistling an aurresku.