Not that many people probably care too much, but Sevilla won the Europa League tie last night against Betis. 2-0 on the night and 4-3 on penalties after extra time. I listened on the Sevilla FC radio feed on the internet. The crucial Sevilla penalty being scored by Rakitic. Betis were then required to score but they didn't. The player who missed was called Nono. Bit of a clue there I think. Anyway, Joy unconfined in Casa Fulhaman and all was right with the world with the Señora. Thank goodness! The link to the UEFA page, which gives details, is here: http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleagu...round=2000471/match=2012664/postmatch/report/
The buck stops here - Real Betis says Miguel Guillen has stepped down as president of the struggling Spanish club and will soon be replaced. Guillen announced his resignation at Saturday's shareholder meeting. Guillen took over the Andalusian club in 2011. He says "there are a number of groups that are asking for me to leave, and that is what I am doing." Betis is in last place in the Spanish league, seven points from safety with eight games to play. Source: https://uk.news.yahoo.com/betis-president-resigns-team-facing-drop-105340438.html#fZ4GKaT
After all this time it only dawned on me that I have a Real Betis top hidden away somewhere. For some random reason they were selling them a few years ago in a small sports shop over here. I thought it was so strange that I had to get one. I think Betis are now my favourite Spanish club (probably for all the wrong reasons). Sorry Fulhaman.
Thought this might be worth a watch. It is sometimes played before Sevilla's home matches - not as they run out or anything - it's called Sevilla tiene un colour especial, which you don't need to be bi-lingual to translate, really. Tiene means has, just in case. The slide show gives a good idea of what the city is like. The Señora's hometown. Quite why she gave this up I never have understood fully. To quote Labi Sifri, It must be love. http://youtu.be/ux8AotC1so8
You may not have noticed, probably not given what happened on Saturday, but on Sunday it Was the Seviila / Betis Derby. Which, I am pleased to say, Sevilla won 2 - 0. Peace and happiness in Casa Fulhaman as you can imagine and almost certainly consigned Betis to the Liga Segunda. However, Sid Lowe has written a very good piece on Betis's misfortune this season and how it came to pass. http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/apr/14/real-betis-la-liga-sid-lowe Incidentally it looks like Deportivo La Curuna will be coming up along with any one from up to 6 others - probably the best known of which is Las Palmas, although also in the mix is Recreativo Huelva (pronounced welva). Huelva is a port city about 60 km south west of Sevilla, not far from Gibraltar. It is notable being the birthplace of football in Spain and having the first organised match. It was all started by Englishmen working at building the railway and in the local mines thereabouts and they still love us down there for it.
SÃ, sÃ. Con suerte estaremos allÃ. Por lo menos tengo algo que celebrar esta temporada. Or in English Yes, yes. With luck we will be there. At least I have something to cheer this season.
Wow !! Great stuff Fulhaman. [video=youtube;MYsDaGle5rs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYsDaGle5rs&feature=player_embedded[/video] Valencia 3-1 Sevilla; 3-3 on aggregate. Sevilla through to final on away goal, scored in 94th minute. And who’d believe Mbia who was rubbish at QPR would be the hero.
Rocking at Casa Fulhaman please log in to view this image Link to pic: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BnoIvthIEAAqudJ.jpg
Ole! The Cruzcampo is flowing and the Senora is on the sangria and doing Sevillanas in the living room, which is doing the carpet no favours, I can tell you.
This is how you do a bringing the cup home parade. Down the Guadalquivier and in front of the Torres del Oro. And look at the colour of the sky. Stunning place.
Back to Real Betis and misfortunes this season. Their match today, away to Osasuna, was suspended after a fence collapsed and a number of fans injured. please log in to view this image The players joining in to help injured. Link to pic: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bn7oqF_IMAEgc8_.jpg PS Betis were losing 1-0 at the time.
Spanish Grounds are a bit ramshackle in many ways. There aren't many new stadiums and even places like the Camp Nou show their age with rusty girders and slightly down at heel paint jobs. Grounds in the south of Spain take an even bigger pounding because of the sun which bleaches everything and contributes to concrete crumbling. If you compare places like Old Trafford or the Emirates against the Camp Nou or the Roseleda our grounds are so much safer and better maintained.
MADRID (Reuters) - Osasuna and Real Valladolid will join already-relegated Real Betis in the Spanish second division next season after a nail-biting final day of action in La Liga on Sunday which was disrupted when a barrier collapsed at Osasuna. The match in Pamplona was halted for around 30 minutes when the barrier tumbled to the ground following Osasuna's 12th-minute opening goal against Betis and fans spilled on to the pitch. Around 40 were treated on site for minor complaints and 10 were taken to hospital but none suffered serious injury, according to the local Red Cross. The Spanish professional league (LFP) decided there would be extended halftime breaks in the other three games involving relegation-threatened sides to allow the Osasuna-Betis match to catch up. The game ended 2-1 to Osasuna but they were condemned by results elsewhere and relegated after 14 seasons in the top flight. Valladolid, who were promoted in 2011-12, went down following a 1-0 home defeat by Granada, who along with Almeria and Getafe avoided the drop. Almeria drew 0-0 at home to fourth-placed Athletic Bilbao and Getafe beat Rayo Vallecano 2-1 in a bad-tempered clash between the two Madrid clubs which ended in a mass brawl. Betis finished in 20th and last place with 25 points from 38 matches, Valladolid were 19th on 36 and Osasuna 18th on 39, a point behind Almeria and Elche. Getafe finished in 13th with 42 points and Granada in 15th on 41. Atletico Madrid won their first La Liga title in 18 years on Saturday thanks to a 1-1 draw at second-placed Barcelona in a thrilling climax to the campaign.
Can't say I'm totally surprised with Valladolid dropping down, or Betis, really, but Osasuna going down is very similar to us actually, a solid club who have just not had the best of seasons. The segunda division still has 3 matches to play but I would put money on Deportivo and Elbar coming up automatically with Las Palmas coming through the play-offs.
