November 10th is a historic day. A day that saw the birth of Juan Gómez 'Juanito' in Fuengirola 68 years ago, and also, curiously, when another of the great symbols of Club Deportivo Málaga left us, Sebastián Humberto Viberti Irazoki who this afternoon was honoured and remembered in his house, La Rosaleda.
“¡Viberti, Viberti! La leyenda del ‘Zapatones’” was presented in an emotional and vibrant act, which had the collaboration of the Club via the MCF Foundation. Dani Barranquero captured eight years of work full of passion, energy and dedication in body and soul. “Martín (Viberti) was my link with him. This is my life’s project. The first interview was in April 2013. I thought it could go really well. I was in Argentina, and I saw so many things that they told me I didn't want to limit myself to only writing about Málaga. The feeling I had is that Viberti's life was well documented. He said his life was a tango, unpredictable, in which anything can happen. I defined him like a ‘Beatle’ on the Costa del Sol. The book is the portrait of an era. It’s one of the most important days of my life. I hope you like the book because I wrote it with a lot of love,” said Dani who thanked his father for his love for Viberti: “It’s a love story about these colours. A trip via Viberti through the history of Malaga. My father was the one who gave me the Viberti bug, he spoke to me as if he were a science fiction hero. Thanks Dad.”
Dani, who happens to be celebrating his birthday today, was accompanied by graphic illustrator Pachi Idígoras, a collaborator on the book, and Martín Viberti, the son of the Malaguista legend who works as a scout at the Club.
“My love for Viberti began in 1969, when I was born, the year Viberti set foot in Málaga. People just talked about Viberti. I was four or five years old, and everyone was talking about Viberti. And I thought, I'm going to draw him. I showed the caricature of him to my parents, I went out in the street taking the caricature with me and everyone recognised that it was Viberti. Time went by, I became interested, and I thought I was the one who knew the most about Viberti. One day I saw a tweet from Daniel, I didn't know him then. We met, he passed me the text, I finished it and realised I was no longer the one who knew the most about Viberti. The book is wonderful, Daniel handles words like a surgeon, his book is a gift to Málaga and the city of Málaga,” said Pachi.
A “very emotional” Martín Viberti recalled that his father “always dreamed of returning to Málaga, he couldn't, but it's me who’s here. I feel immensely proud to be part of this beautiful club, in this beautiful city. In Córdoba, every day, in my home, they talked about Málaga with excitement. Thank you to Dani, I saw it as something impossible to achieve, but he did it. Thanks also to Pachi. The book got me, it moved me, not only does it reflect the footballer, but also that my 'old man' was a good guy. The people of Málaga remember my 'old man' not only as a player, but as a good person. The book is a roller coaster of emotions. He talks about the good and bad times, the victories and the defeats. For us it has a sentimental value that cannot be defined. This book makes my dad stay linked to Málaga forever.”
The book is a must for Blue and White fans who want to learn more about Viberti's career and biography. An iconic player of the best CD Málaga in history in the 70s, and also coach of the team at the end of that decade. His indelible footballing and personal stamp not only stand the test of time, but are as strong as ever.
The presentation was attended by representatives of the City Hall and the Diputación Provincial, as well as Unicaja Baloncesto de Málaga, with the president Antonio Jesús López Nieto and the ambassador Carlos Cabezas, and various sports and institutional bodies from Málaga and the province. The event was attended on behalf of the Club by judicial administrator José María Muñoz, accompanied by directors Francisco Martín Aguilar, Abdullah Ben Barek and José Antonio Ruiz Guerra, as well as Sporting Director, Manolo Gaspar and head of the MCF Academy, Duda. First team player, Pablo Chavarría and members of Málaga CF Forever including president Raúl Iznata and Koke Contreras were also present at the event.
Viberti's book can be purchased from next Monday 14th November at the official store at La Rosaleda Stadium. Málaga Club de Fútbol, through its Foundation, is thrilled to have participated in an event that highlights the Club's values of Memory, Commitment and Faith. Eternal, Viberti!
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