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.
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.
After 32 appearances and two entirely meaningless goals, Real Madrid has effectively called time on the Luka Jović experiment and shipped him back to Eintracht Frankfurt on loan.
There was an awesome moment after Tottenham defeated eighth-tier Marine in the FA Cup when Marine midfielder Josh Hmami exchanged Twitter messages with Spurs defender Sergio Reguilón.
The 21-year-old Accrington Stanely product called it an “unbelievable experience” before saying, “You really don’t realize how good these players are until you play them yourself.”
Reguilón responded by saying that playing at the 3,185-seat Rossett Park in Crosby was just as memorable.
Dani Alves, a player that LaLiga fans know very well, hinted at a possible return to Spain in a tweet that made Sao Paulo supporters very scared. The tweet is in Spanish, and translated to English it reads: “As the saying goes: THE GOOD SON ALWAYS COMES BACK HOME!”
Como dice el dicho: EL BUENO HIJO A CASA SIEMPRE VUELVE!
# pic.twitter.com/vCdMrWKzZA
When Spain's soccer federation signed a lucrative deal in 2019 to export its rebooted Super Cup to Saudi Arabia, they did not envisage matches in empty stadiums across southern Spain and tired teams negotiating record snowfall in order to get to them.
But that is what they will get when the mini-tournament begins on Wednesday after coronavirus restrictions in Spain and the gulf state forced organizers to overhaul their initial plans and re-think the competition to fit today's unprecedented times.