Antonio Mata returned home. To the island where he became a footballer and to the stage where he signed his best performances in professional football with the Tenerife shirt. On March 18, 1997, in Copenhagen’s glide Parken, a direct free kick executed by the central defender from Extremadura scored against the Blue and Whites in the semifinals of the UEFA Cup eliminating the Brondby.
I still can’t assimilate that so much time has passed… life goes by too fast, but these things stay forever and I am proud to have been part of that.
The Danes had won at the Heliodoro by 0-1 and Tenerife was forced to win by more than one goal difference. Antonio Pinilla equalized the tie in the 20th minute and Antonio Mata, in extra time and with three minutes to go, gave the islanders the passport with an observer. who bridged the local barrier through the only possible gap.
The greatest feat carried out by Tenerife in its 100 years of history is remembered by its protagonist with much love. He traveled from Malaga, where he currently resides, to take part in a special program of Cope Tenerife. “I still don’t assimilate that so much time has passed. Life goes by too fast, but these things stay forever and I am proud to have been part of it. Let’s hope that the club, in this year of its Centenary, can once again go further than before. Who knows!“, he expressed hopefully.
We had an exceptional squad and an incredible connection with the fans; now they are in Second, after many difficult years, but I hope they will go up this season
Mata emphasizes that he is grateful to life “for having lived through Tenerife’s golden age. We had an exceptional squad and an incredible connection with the fans. When we arrived on the island after eliminating Brondby, we were greeted at the airport as if we had won UEFA. It was something amazing and unforgettable.. Now they are in Second Division, after many difficult years, but I hope they can get promotion this season.”
He also related some anecdotes, unknown to the general public, but that the passage of time has made them prescribe and that they can be counted. “Hardly anyone knows the nerves we went through before that game. The shin guards were nowhere to be found when we arrived at the stadium and we spent the previous hours looking for them everywhere because you can’t play without that protection. People went crazy, there were club staff who even went to various stores, but there weren’t that many. And finally, they found them in the hotel where we were concentrated and they arrived in time to use them before the quarterfinal match began.”
The shin guards were nowhere to be found when we arrived at the stadium and we spent the previous hours looking for them everywhere because you can’t play without that protection.
Antonio Mata lives in Malaga with his family. After leaving football, he opened a nursing home which he called ‘Los Milagros’, like the ones he was able to make possible when he defended the Tenerife shirt.
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