BILBAO, Nov 1 - Athletic Club and Real Sociedad paid tribute to the most iconic image of the Basque derby on Sunday, as former captains Jose Angel Iribar and Inaxio Kortabarria led the teams out carrying an Ikurrina 50 years after doing so for the first time.

In an act of public defiance a little over a year after the death of Spanish dictator Francisco Franco, Iribar and Kortabarria came out onto the pitch with a Basque flag in December 1976.

Franco banned the flag and the Basque language while in power, and public display of the Ikurrina remained illegal at the time.

"What a statement. And I'm told that this was also the moment possibly that pushed the government to make the Basque flag legal," Real manager Pellegrino Matarazzo said on Saturday ahead of the game.

The Basque flag was legalised in Spain in January 1977 and two years later was adopted as the official flag of the Basque autonomous community, one of Spain's 17 regions with local governments.

Iribar and Kortabarria were greeted with applause from the San Mames stands and a guard of honour from the two sets of players before Sunday night's LaLiga clash.

"It is a signal to the world, where there are still people fighting for their rights and freedom," said Athletic manager Edin Terzic in his pre-match press conference.

"Carrying it on the pitch shows unity in the Basque Country and pride," added Matarazzo. REUTERS