By Manolo Rodríguez

 

At home, Real Betis have never lost a Copa del Rey game against Espanyol. In any of the seven times they have met in this tournament. The worst score was a 0-0, in 1971.

The rest of the clashes, one at the old Patronato field and all the rest at Heliópolis, finished with Green and White victories, comfortable ones in general, and, in some cases, with some of the best moments of the Club's history.

That is exactly what happened in 1961 when Real Betis put a handful past Espanyol. A 5-1 that had an impact in national football, as Espanyol had just eliminated FC Barcelona, winning both legs of the rounds. However, that afternoon, in front of their fans, Betis were like a hurricane in which Yanko Daucik (manager Fernando Daucik's son) outstood with two goals and one assist.

Also good was the victory achieved in 1966. That season had finished with a painful relegation for the team. But once the league ended, the Cup began. A good way to forget. In the Last 32 round, the Green and Whites eliminated Real Oviedo and in the Last 16, the had to play with Espanyol, where legend Alfredo Di Stefano was playing at the time.

The Catalans won 2-1 in the first leg. The second leg was played on the 1st of May of 1966 at 5 p.m. in a really hot afternoon. These were the line-ups:

Real Betis: Vega, Aparicio, Ríos, Antón; Frasco, Azcárate, Girón, Quino, Landa, Dioni, Rogelio.

RCD Espanyol: Carmelo, Juan Manuel, Mingorance, Granero, Di Stéfano, Bergara I, Miralles, Rodilla, Re, Marcial, José María.

Real Betis performance was astonishing. They swept the rival 4-0 (Quino (2), Landa and Rogelio) and the local press at Barcelona stated that it had been a deserved, even short, victory.

Betis went through but the day was made history by Alfredo Di Stefano, one of the biggest of all time. That day, Di Stefano played at Villamarín his last official game. He stepped on the pitch wearing his team's blue shirt with number 6 on his back. He was two months away from turning 40 and his back pains were becoming more intense. On the pitch, he played as creative midfielder, with Quino as his counterpart, who still remembers the big excitement of playing in front of his idol. A unique experience that grew even bigger when Di Stefano himself, Valencia manager then, personally explained to Quino that he had signed him because he still remembered that great performance in that Copa match.

However, the most-remembered win by Betis fans is the one that took place the last time these two teams met in Copa del Rey. That one ended in a final. A final won by the Béticos. It was the 18th of June of 1977.

A really hot night when the match kicked off at 9.30 p.m. The Green and White were trailing by one goal in the aggregate score and they went for everything from the start. The stands were full.

 

The team stepped on the field with the following elevens:

Real Betis: Esnaola, Bizcocho, Biosca, Sabaté, Benítez, López, Alabanda (Cobo 110'), Cardeñosa, Megido, Eulate (Del Pozo 73'), García Soriano.

RCD Espanyol: Echevarría, Longhi, Ferrer, Ortiz Aquino, Verdugo, Molinos, Solsona, José Manuel, Manolín Cuesta (Osorio 82'), Caszely, Marañón (Cino 91').

Not even five minutes had gone by when almost everyone in the stadium claims that a tackle from Ferrer on Megido was a clear penalty. It seemed clear but the referee says it's not. The fans roar and Betis attack but they can't score. The first half ends. After half time, the away keeper comes back on wearing a red jersey, as the blue he was wearing before could be mistaken by the ones worn by the field players.

The second half is like a copy of the first. Attack without goal. Espanyol is focused just on defending but the Green and Whites keep trying. Garcia Soriano hits the post for the second time and so much bad luck looks like a curse. Another curse.

Life changes rather quickly, though. Three minutes before the end, Biosca makes a run from the defence and almost all the visiting players are inside their own area, trying to cover all the chances of a pass or cross. The defender, then, decides to produce a long-range effort from outside the box. The keeper kneels down to block the shot, but a bounce on the pitch takes him by surprise. The ball touches his shoulder and goes in by the post,

The celebration scream is heard from many miles away. Some fans even jump onto the pitch to hug the players. Once everything is back to normal, the game resumes and Espanyol have a great chance, but Esnaola saves it. Extra time.

The tension is almost unbearable but the relief comes son. Second minute of the extra time. Corner kick delivered by Cardeñosa on the North end. Before kicking the ball, Biosca is seen at the edge of the area signalling him to put it in the penalty spot. That's where he delivers it to. Smooth, as usual. Biosca makes a powerful jump and heads with strength to give the keeper no options.

From that moment until the end, the game is a party. Betis controls the game at ease, they even kicked ten corner kicks in the extra time and gives no options to Espanyol. The stands chant about going to Madrid.

That it was happened last time Espanyol came to play a Copa del Rey game. 42 years have gone by but the memory is as sweet as the actual day itself. The night that meant a final.