Athletic Bilbao’s Joseba Etxeberria issued an emotional goodbye to the Basque club after making his final appearance for Los Leones in the 2-0 victory over Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday evening. The 32-year old was given a standing ovation when he was replaced during the final-day victory, and struggled to contain his emotions upon leaving the pitch for the final time after 444 La Liga appearances and 87 goals. Etxeberria joined the club in 1995 as a 17-year old, and slowly established himself as one of the greatest players in Athletic Bilbao’s history, with only Jose Angel Iribar and Txetxu Rojo making more appearances in the history of the club. The winger made headlines in June 2009 when his contract at San Mames expired and he proceeded to remain part of the squad for 2009/10 and play for free, confirming his loyalty to Bilbao. Speaking to journalists after the match, a drained Etxeberria stated, “I assumed that there were going to be emotional moments today, and a lot of pictures came into my head. “Now I have a lot of memories. I have cried tears of joy and this is an unforgettable moment that will stay with me forever.”