The 2019 Champions League Final between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspurs, the week begins with a minute’s silence. This was done in honor of Jose Antonio Reyes, Extremadura player, Spanish Segunda Division club who died the day before due to an accident. The Mercedes Brabus S550V driven by Reyes at a speed of 237 km / h crashed into the road divider and turned upside down in flames in Spain.
Throughout his career in the world of football, this footballer born on September 1, 1983 has strengthened various big clubs. Starting from Sevilla, Arsenal, Atletico Madrid to Real Madrid, they have experienced the service of right winger players.
Although he had never been the main focus in various clubs he had defended, in fact he always contributed to various clubs that he had strengthened. Reyes was part of the Arsenal invincibles squad in 2004. Reyes was a Real Madrid hero in winning the 2006/2007 La Liga title.
Don’t forget, Reyes also has a collection of 5 Europa League trophies with two clubs, Atletico Madrid and Sevilla. Even is the captain of Sevilla when he won 3 trophies in the European second class competition during the 2014-2016 period. That does not include the European Under-19 Cup he won with the Spanish Under-19 national team in 2002.
Various achievements and memories of Reyes will be eternal in the memory of football lovers. But of the many memories of Reyes, the writer in particular has his own impression of Reyes in the 2006/2007 season when Reyes strengthened Real Madrid, the moment when Reyes became the hero of Madrid in winning the Laliga trophy in one of the most dramatic seasons in matador .
Just imagine, the league champions must be determined in the last week, at the last minute, through the same points. Equally packing 76 points at the end of the competition, Real Madrid finally won just because they were superior head to head from their toughest competitor, Barcelona. And Reyes is the main actor in determining the season title through two dramatic goals in the last week.
Competition for Barcelona, Real Madrid and Sevilla
Reyes arrived at the start of the season along with the arrival of Ruud van Nistelrooy, Fabio Cannavaro, Emerson and new coach Fabio Capello. Real Madrid actually started the season rather giddily. Left by Zinedine Zidane, who retired after the world cup, the new coach and non-coach in the previous season was a picture of the condition of Madrid welcoming the new season.
The shadows of the 2005/2006 season which were destroyed were still overshadowing Madrid. Moreover, the main competitor as well as the defending champion, Barcelona is still strengthened by the best star in the middle of the moncer, Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi, the prodigy (at that time).
In its journey, Barcelona is not the only strong rival of los merengues. Sevilla is here to disrupt the establishment of Elclasico. Strong rivalry is proven by the same points (38 points) after half the season. Barcelona ranked first thanks to goal excellence, followed by Sevilla and Madrid.
Throughout the half of the season, Madrid rarely sits at the top of the standings which are alternately controlled by Barcelona and Sevilla. Madrid’s heavy struggle for the first league title since 2003 was even disrupted in January 2007 when David Beckham, the superstar, was confirmed to join LA Galaxy at the end of the season because his contract was not extended by management.
More often to occupy the ranking of three or four almost throughout the season, Madrid finally gained momentum up to the top of the standings in Week 34 when Barcelona were held Real 2-0 by Betis, while Madrid won 4-3 over Espanyol. While Sevilla scattered a week before when defeated Madrid 3-2. Be the third team to enter the last week with the composition of Real Madrid ranked top with 73 points, Barcelona 73 points and Sevilla 71 points.
At the end of the season Reyes finally left Real Madrid and joined city rivals Atletico Madrid. Although only a season to strengthen los galacticos, the public of the city of Madrid must thank the player who was loaned from Arsenal because his contribution helped break the dominance of Barcelona who won the league in two consecutive seasons and made Laliga the 2006/2007 season worth remembering as one of the most dramatic seasons in the history of 5 of Europe’s top competitions. And his two golden goals in the 2006/2007 season were only one of the many memories that Jose Antonio Reyes will continue to remember.
ASL
