Do you believe in the magic of the cup? Competitions where you could be drawn to play teams that you wouldn’t normally play offer plenty of space for intrigue. For unlikely matchups. There are many Davids waiting for a chance to face their Goliath. And today, it’s a tiny Spanish sixth-tier club Victoria CF.A modest, neighbourhood football team is playing the team that beat Manchester United, Arsenal and Sevilla this year. A group of amateurs going toe to toe with one of the best teams in the country. Now, that’s what you call magic! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Victoria C.F. (🦓 de volta 🏟️) (@victoriacf1943) Victoria CF don’t even have their own home ground. They squat around the city of La Coruna, in Galicia, the region in the northwest of Spain. They try to train every day, but it’s difficult when most of your players are students who often miss sessions because they have to study. Or party.Playing in the regional division called Preferente Autonomica de Galicia isn’t exactly glamourous. Small crowds, far away from national attention and media interest, Victoria live a quiet life aking to hundreds and thousands of other clubs playing at a similar level. But tonight, thanks to a tasty national cup draw, the eyes of the entire country will be on the brave Galicians. Villareal are coming to town!From Super Depor to super deplorableTo host La Liga big boys you have to play at a proper ground. And boy, have they got one. The match will be played at Riazor, the legendary stadium of the city’s biggest club Deportivo La Coruna. Although the blue and whites, who were the best team in the country 20 years ago, are now struggling the national third tier, their stadium is still a symbol of greatness and success. On this turf, quite a few Goliaths of European football have been slain. Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain, Leeds United, Juventus, Bayern, Manchester United, PSV, Milan, Newcastle, Marseille… all of them found Riazor to be an unpenetrable Galician fortress. But those famous wins belong to Super Depor and not to Victoria. Depor’s student neighbours have never reached the first round proper of the Copa del Rey since their formation in 1943. Until today.La actitud no se negocia!! Seguimos trabajando!! 🦓🦓 pic.twitter.com/7zqOC8tvqV— Isabel Vázquez (@Rguez6) November 28, 2021 Victoria coach Guillermo Pigueiras isn’t used to this much attention from the fans and the press. His phone won’t stop ringing. People are asking about tickets to the big game. But among all the things he needed to do in the past days, training with his team was the most important. After all, he’ll have to outsmart Unai Emery on Tuesday night.Whether they win or lose, Victoria players take their shorts and socks home to wash them. The shirts are left to be washed at the club because the youth players usually wear those same shirts the next day. There aren’t enough kits for everyone. But the spirit runs high among the black and whites. It’s the only way they can play – with joy and optimism. And the shouts in training these days were positive too.”Yes, boys, that’s the way! We’ll do it like that at Riazor on Tuesday! Against Dani Parejo, Manu Trigueros and Gerard Moreno!”Are you feeling the magic of the cup yet? View this post on Instagram A post shared by Victoria C.F. (🦓 de volta 🏟️) (@victoriacf1943) Villareal have a different set of problems compared to their opponents as they lost to Manchester United in the Champions League a week ago and to Barcelona at the weekend. Emery will field a rather strong starting eleven in Galicia.”Being able to compete from time to time with top-flight teams is a prize for sides from the lower divisions. We have maximum respect for the cup and for the teams who are taking part. The idea is to make a few changes in the team, but continue to work hard.”On the other hand, Pigueiras fill field his strongest team, but he’s not expecting a win. Very sensible of him, we must say.”We attach importance to this game, of course. It’s a big occasion for us, but our players’ school work is much more important. We all learn and work hard because we wish our club to continue to grow.”The Galicians are sure to be motivated ahead of their big game, but it’s not because of the money they’d receive in case of a win. They usually get paid 20 euros (around KSh 2,500) for a victory.Hey, everyone needs a bit of magic in these crazy days.COPA DEL REY – First roundTuesday18.00: (16.0) Cayon CD (7.50) Huesca (1.13)18.00: (19.0) Marchamalo (8.50) Valladolid (1.10)20.30: (8.50) Naksara (4.50) Andorra FC (1.35)21.00: (45.0) Laguna (20.0) Granada (1.02)22.00: (4.80) Racing Rioja (3.50) Cartagena (1.70)22.00: (27.0) Ceares (11.0) Gijon (1.05)23.00: (16.0) Aguilas Cf (6.75) Almeria (1.15)23.00: (22.0) Ebro (9.00) Celta (1.08)23.00: (2.60) Badajoz (3.00) Alcoyano (2.95)23.00: (45.0) Mollerussa (20.0) Getafe (1.02)Wednesday18.30: (7.75) Mensajero (4.40) Zaragoza (1.38)20.30: (2.75) Bergantinos (3.10) Tudelano (2.55)21.00: (2.45) Algeciras (3.20) Unionistas (3.00)21.00: (16.0) Gimnastica Segoviana (9.00) Mallorca (1.10)21.00: (16.0) Cordoba (9.00) Sevilla (1.10)22.00: (4.90) Atl.Mancha (3.45) Int.Madrid (1.70)22.00: (5.10) Alzira (3.60) Fuenlabrada (1.65)22.00: (3.30) Ucam Murcia (3.20) La Coruna (2.15)22.15: (2.05) Talavera (3.15) Cornella (3.60)22.30: (6.00) CE Europa (3.90) Amorebieta (1.52)22.30: (2.60) Calahorra (3.00) Atl.Baleares (2.75)22.30: (8.50) Arenteiro (4.70) Logrones (1.38)22.30: (2.20) Linares (3.10) Gimnastic (3.30)22.30: (9.50) Cacereno (4.90) Ponferradina (1.35)***odds are subject to change
