Sevilla advanced to the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey on Wednesday after defeating Valencia 3-0 at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán. Luuk de Jong opened the scoring in the 20th minute and then made it 2-0 in the 33rd after putting the finishing touch on a spectacular team goal.
The move involved 37 passes and 11 Sevilla players, making it this season’s golden standard in the land of tiki-taka.
MADRID — Lionel Messi returned from suspension to help guide Barcelona to a 2-1 win away to Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday to reach the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey.
Barca dominated the match and hit the woodwork three times but second division Rayo took a surprise lead in the 63rd minute when Barca keeper Neto failed to deal with a low cross and midfielder Fran Garcia pounced to bundle the ball over the line.
Madridistas, Culés, Colchoneros, Sevillistas and anyone that enjoys seeing the beautiful game played beautifully in one of the world’s most awe-inspiring countries rejoice: ESPN is reportedly on the verge of acquiring the U.S. rights to LaLiga!
Something incredible happened last week: Alcoyano, a team from Spain's Segunda B (third division), eliminated Real Madrid from the Copa del Rey in extra time against all odds.
The hero of the night was José Juan, a 41-year-old goalkeeper who had a great night defending his net, stopping absolutely everything.
Atlético Madrid overcame a spectacular opening goal from Valencia’s Uroš Račić to win 3-1 at the Wanda on Sunday, putting Diego Simeone’s side seven points clear of second-place Real Madrid with a match still in hand.
After Račić’s incredible opener, João Félix brought Atlético level before halftime and then Luis Suárez and Ángel Correa did the business in the second 45 to secure all three points ahead of next weekend’s trip to Cádiz.
Barcelona overcame the absence of a suspended Lionel Messi to earn a 2-0 win away to struggling Elche in LaLiga on Sunday thanks to goals late in each half from midfielders Frenkie de Jong and Riqui Puig.
By slaying Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday, Alcoyano lived up to a past reputation which saw their name enter Spanish folklore as a byword for fighting spirit and the capacity to overcome the odds.
The third division, semi-professional side have rarely had much to shout about but their renowned capacity to endure suffering and humiliation led to the coining of the phrase "You have more spirit than Alcoyano" which is still heard in everyday conversations, even when football is not being discussed.
Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has said UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin is weighing up whether to stage the European Championship in one country this year rather than across the continent as planned due to COVID-19 concerns.
However, UEFA responded by saying it was continuing to work on existing plans for 12 countries to host the tournament. The 24-nation event, a major revenue generator for European football's governing body and the national federations, was postponed by 12 months due to the pandemic.
Barcelona captain Lionel Messi has escaped a lengthy ban for lashing out at Athletic Bilbao's Asier Villalibre in Sunday's Spanish Super Cup final defeat and will only serve a two-game suspension.
The Spanish soccer federation (RFEF) said on Tuesday Messi had been banned for two matches, meaning he will miss Thursday's Copa del Rey last-32 tie at Cornellà and Sunday's LaLiga match at Elche. He is set to return to face Bilbao in the league on Jan. 29.
After finishing entirely trophyless last season, Barcelona’s players emphasized how important this year's Supercopa de España was, even if the timing and circumstances surrounding this year’s edition were less than ideal for all four competing clubs.