The history of the most modest of the Copa del Rey

What a paradox. They have clicked on this comic without knowing if Athletic Club de Bilbao or Real Sociedad are crowned champions. If the Barge comes out again, if Aduriz gets on it, if Oyarzabal is crowned, if David Silva wins a title again in Spain … How many things have changed. Back then, we laughed without a mask, met in bars, and experienced football with its inherent social beauty. That of the hugs in the stands, that of suffering with the one who climbs high peaks to tie up permanence and that of the tickling in the stands seconds before the initial whistle. We live a new reality, everlasting. A different day to day, against which that brave proposal of Luis Rubiales crashes face down, which turned out to be a success. He bet on modernize the Copa del Rey, by filling it with the most modest, to fantasize about the possibility that one would go far, that it would be an epic. And it turned out well, undoubtedly. Pomegranate, Mirandés (as a Second team) and the two Basques already mentioned stood in the semifinals. The rumble of the single party, where everything is possible.

To get there, yes, they had to spend months, where many others stayed on the road. It seemed unthinkable, but last season twenty teams from the regional category had the chance to play against the greats First Division teams. No one surprised, practically a utopia. Although, for example, Andorra took Leganés to penalties. However, there is no room for everyone. This Wednesday, November 11, the preliminary round is played. In it, a screening will be made among the twenty who reigned in the lower categories of each Territorial Federation. There will be ten left, already with a direct ticket to receive an elite in their fiefdom. They are warned. They will then put aside the Solskjaer, Calvert-Lewin, Alaba, Haaland or other continental leaders. They will be able to read, instead, to family men, students, waiters, civil servants or small businessmen. Perhaps a surname is something more familiar to them: Pogba. I'm sorry in advance, you have come this far by reading it in the headline on the cover, but it won't condense these lines. It doesn't need to be. Then, twenty clubs, with their twenty stories and a common message: long live football and long live the Cup.

Cardassar: rebirth after a nightmare

The Balearic club cried of impotence when in October 2018 a torrent broke them. They will remember her well, at least for the photograph of Rafa Nadal helping to fix all the damages that the weather caused. Beyond the devastating consequences that this had for civilians, many sports entities suffered it as the beginning of the end. It's Moleter, field in which Cardassar (F. Balear) plays at home, was devastated by the storm. Subsequently, the effort of the board, the authorities and ordinary citizens allowed it to be remodeled and the team to be reborn from its ashes. If on that fateful day they were told that, just two years later, they were going to be one step away from playing an official game against a First Division, they would not believe it. The Cardassar is an almost centenary club. Will celebrate in 2024. Until then, it will seek to settle in the Third Division, the objective with which the project was born back in 1924.

I could go on narrating her little big story, but Jacint Planes and Sanmartí he was in charge of doing it, with excellent pen, on his web portal: “Local heroes, village idols, family myths, the stars of a not so high sky, not so big, not so bright, not so exaggerated by elitist professionalism. But here they are, forming part of the small local soccer story. The endearing story, often funny, full of anecdotes, but always emotional, of some athletes that the spectators know perfectly, who knew what point they were wearing, who knew how they thought. , how they felt and who they were. Because they were, and in many cases still are, family, friends, colleagues, acquaintances. They formed and are part of our life. And his story is, well, our story. Perhaps small, modest, reduced or short story. But our“.

Épila: the joy of La Huerta

Épila is a humble club of the Aragonese Third Division. So much so, that when their promotion was confirmed they regretted not having achieved it in the traditional way: “It's not the way we like it best“However, it was deservedly taken away after the successes achieved on the pitch months ago. The entity defines itself as”the village team“It is precisely integrated into a small municipality in the province of Zaragoza, with 4,386 inhabitants according to the 2019 census. It may sound strange to you, but it is twinned with Salleboeuf, a French region. This concept was born in Europe after the Second World War, with the aim of uniting ties and promoting joint projects between different places. In other words, twinned places tend to have similar characteristics. For the moment, this has not reached football nor has it any relation like the cases of Manchester City or Girona.

Despite its small population, Épila has a large Wikipedia page, since different wars have passed through its borders. Among them, that of Independence. It was in the region where the Spanish troops faced Napoleon's, among many other historical events. Under its territory is the well-known church of Santa María la Mayor, of baroque style, and the tomb of Lope Ximénez de Urrea. Also a small stadium, which can hold about a thousand spectators: La Huerta. The nearly 2,000 followers that the club has on its social networks would not enter it. Even less with the increase that will occur after the Cup qualifying round. In this difficult time for the fan, “the people's team” will try to honor him and go on to fight with a Primera.

Deportiva Ceuta: the Association of Civil Guards

We are not talking about Ceuta Deportiva, or the Ceuta Sports Group. This year the Ceuta qualified for the Copa del Rey is none other than the Unified Association of Civil Guards Deportiva Ceuta, more briefly AUGC Deportiva Ceuta. Do not be surprised. Against Racing Murcia will not play a conglomerate of law enforcement officers. Simply, the club had no team name and received such an offer. Although, yes, there was some link involved and even more in the past. President Rachid Sbihi is a civil guard by profession. The footballers are civilians and there is no type of relationship between the squad and the association that falls under their name. The maximum representative is not the only manager who performs this office. The club is based in the El Príncipe neighborhood, one of the most conflictive areas of the Autonomous City. Football, there, is a halo of hope. “In 2008, half of the players were guards, they were young people who came to Ceuta to do practice before leaving for their respective destinations.. It was a high quality litter. However, the mark of being the Civil Guard team has remained in Ceuta, “the president explains in an interview with El País.

In the same talk, Rachid Sbihi explained the importance of sport within the neighborhood: “You feel that working in a neighborhood like El Príncipe, helping children with football and bringing the Civil Guard closer to an activity related to sports, has rewards that reward you. The Prince is a delicate area and everything that is helping fills you “. And one more message, which I hope this medium helps spread among the problems of the Premier and the new world talents: “The kids are crazy about the possibility of playing the Cup next season. These young people are a clear reflection of what is Ceuta. Muslims and Christians coexist in the group in a team chaired by a civil guard. This city is like that, multicultural. With teams like the AUGC we make the country“.

Racing Murcia: the Pogba clan strikes again

Welcome to Racing Murcia, a team that has placed this news at the top of its screens and that may have led you here. They will wonder why. So far, only if they are from certain regions will the teams presented previously sound familiar. This one has more pull than those of the lower part of Primera and we are not even talking about the LaLiga SmartBank media. So are the things. What's more, even Pogba knows him. Mathias. And Paul. Also Paul. In fact, the club boasts on its social networks that Manchester United once mentioned them. A certain Edwin Congo, former Real Madrid player and a regular at El Chiringuito, also haunts the offices. Like Mathías Pogba, on a tour of Spain since he arrived in Manchego Ciudad Real last summer. At that time, the covers mentioned his last name daily. By Paul, of course. His arrival in Barajas led to suspicion. Was it second? Finally, no.

Too the mythical David Vidal gave a couple of shouts for the bandAlthough he recently terminated his contract with the club for personal reasons. Even so, there are incentives for a while. A Civil Guard team against Mathías Pogba and Edwin Congo (the latter does not step on the grass). A magnet, no doubt. But let's talk about football, that's why we came. United's brother is not a regular starter. He plays as a forward, but at the moment he has not been able to earn a place against him high level of Carlos Álvarez. The tip is one of the most prominent men of the Municipal of Dolores de Pacheco, with an approximate capacity of 3,500 people. There the Racing Murcia Fútbol Club plays as a local, founded in 2013 and with the interest of growing with the undeniable media power of his latest incorporations. This year, it should be noted, the creation of the Racing City Group, chaired by Morris pagniello, which also includes Racing Capri and Racing Sacramento. Whatever is left of this drive, the entity is about to experience a historic moment. The one to play the Cup. With the greats. Paul will turn on the TV.

Guide: the canary front

The municipality of Santa María de Guía in Las Palmas is proud to have under its borders the Union Sports Guide, a club focused on the social work of sport, as well indicated in its founding principles included in the website. At the end of the 50s, the club was founded from the very bottom, with players learning from grassroots football. Most of them, if not all, belonged to the Public School of the region. Since then, the entity set out to take its messages further. To this day, it collaborates with the Town Council to teach extracurricular activities and at its headquarters it has rooms that serve as educational support for the youngest.

On the football level, the Guide has one of the most faithful hobbies in all non-professional football. They call themselves the Frente Rojinegro and the club, very active in social networks, constantly shares their songs through Twitter. The Octavio Estévez, perhaps for this reason, is a fort. The team knows no defeat in the last 14 games and the fans, whenever the pandemic allows it, will carry theirs in flight. As a curiosity: Pogba does not play here, but Vitolo, current Atlético de Madrid player, celebrated his campus at the club's facilities in 2018.

Buñol: the club that is not Levante

Day by day, in this medium they can read the word Buñol written on several occasions. Levante has its sports city in the Valencian town, but it is far from the only club in town. Moreover, there is another that has 99 years of history and that is going to celebrate its centenary with the capital prize of opting to win the Copa del Rey. In order for 2021 to coincide with the KO tournament, they will have to overcome several rounds, the first of them before the Unión Deportiva Guía. The worst possible rival, since, despite the latent equality that exists between the twenty from regional football, involves traveling.

And this, for a moment, was a huge setback for the Valencian club. Francisco Zanón, its president, already said it, who described it as a “bitch”. The entity barely has budgetary margin to subsidize a trip for all its footballers. Days later, he was able to confirm, thanks to the help of the Federation, that part of the displacement is subsidized. “We hope to be at the height of the event and we are sure that our players and coaching staff will leave their skin for the shield they represent“, stated the entity. Because yes, it is a historic day, not only because of the Cup but also to shout to the world that in the Valencian town, with about 10,000 inhabitants, not only does Levante train, but also a centenary.

Miengo: the modest of the modest

From the Cantabrian Regional comes one of the most modest clubs of all those that will have the opportunity to play the Copa del Rey. Is he Miengo, from a small and beautiful town of just 4,741 inhabitants. Until a few days ago, he didn't even have social media. He made the attempt back in 2014, although he ended up abandoning the day to day. Look if it was another time when it was customary to write diminutives such as “q x end they begin” or “our best mdio cntro n his birthday”. At that time, as now, the staff took advantage of the great natural resources that the town has to exercise on the beach frequently. Even the losers of certain exercises had to do sit-ups on the sand, amid the laughter of the other teammates.

At the public level, not much more has been known about Miengo since then. But in recent dates, They have opened an Instagram account to promote the Copa del Rey tie, something historic for the entity. In fact, they have prepared a video with epic overtones in which they see their facilities, including the scoreboard, very unusual in football today. It is also an honor for them to appear on television and that theirs, the inhabitants of a town where almost everyone knows each other, will be able to enjoy it live on the terrace of the La Pila bar. They arrive at the appointment as fourth last season, since the president of their Federation decided that the cupbearer had to arrive from this category, without taking into account those who achieved promotion.. There has been a great controversy in the Region for this, but finally the decision has not been changed.

Ribadumia: ambition from humility

Ribadumia, this weekend, serves as a reference of what the duel against Miengo in Cantabria can bring. The cup team, with A Senra as a witness and the church of the town as a spectator in the background, starred together with Estradense in a carnival duel, with a three-way tie on the scoreboard and endless alternatives. Luis Carro, the coach, has an ambitious future. Despite the point achieved and the offensive success of his men, he was very critical of them after the conclusion: “I did not like the equipment. We always went in tow, we were not comfortable at any time. We don't have a break with the ball. We're going to have a bad time. “A speech with a message: permanence is an obligation. The modest Galician club, recently promoted to the Third Division, is already setting goals.

In addition to the merely sports, Ribadumia is completely dedicated to social causes. In 2019, promoted the campaign “My boots give life”. With no expectation of success, the club tried to send soccer shoes to children in Equatorial Guinea so they could enjoy the sport. For several weeks, the young people who came to the town to play grassroots football matches responded disinterestedly, giving up his boots so that somewhere in the world the ball could be enjoyed under the same conditions. Now you have a historic opportunity. Not only for the entity, but also for the town of just over 5,000 inhabitants. A more than recognized figure will be very aware of what happens. The former president of the Government, Mariano Rajoy, spends the summer in the town and his great passion for football is no secret.

Montañesa: Sergio García and the best sports player-director

From the creators of the mythical player-coach, the figure of the player-sports director arrives. And what a way to do it. Pedro Garcia Delgado, at 36 years old, is reluctant to hang up his boots. However, he is already looking to carve out a figure in the world of football without being a protagonist on the pitch. From his hand and from Carlos Sánchez, technical secretary, a squad has been formed with a clear objective: to get to Second Division B. The latter, without going any further, responds to a profile that is not at all particular in today's football. His Twitter user is CarlosS37502220 and he has a private account. It doesn't mean anything, of course. Simply speaks of the modesty of the Montañesa, despite having incorporated … a European champion !!

Yes, in this preliminary round of the Copa del Rey will play, nothing more and nothing less, than Sergio García, the former Espanyol, who came to play in the 2008 Eurocup that gave so many joys under our borders. He is practically a newcomer, together with Joan Verdú, another legend perica. They did not play the day of the weekend and could therefore debut in a historic event for a club born in 1927. Their arrival has been a revolution in Catalan football. Surely be the players with a better career in the Third Division, with the permission of Jonathan Sesma. Now, the rooms have been searched in the district of Nou Barris, in Barcelona. And the Municipal with the same name as the neighborhood eagerly awaits the moment when they celebrate their first goals with the Montañesa shirt. What couple to kick off the KO tournament.

Cantolagua: misfortune in memory. Goes for them

Fate has wanted two modest clubs born in the same year to come together in the same qualifying round, already touching the centenary. Like his rival the Montañesa, Cantolagua was founded in 1927, although he was not known that way, but rather as the Sangüesa Sports Club, by the Navarran town where the entity's headquarters are located. In 1993 it changed its name to adopt what it is currently known by. The team has never played in Second Division B and it is not because they did not win it on the pitch. In 1979, they won the Third Division and had the sports right to play in the bronze category. However, they gave it up. Now, the goal remains the same: to enjoy sport in the town without setting high goals.

Of course, this Wednesday's game will be special for the club. It is not the first time they have played the KO tournament, although they were always far from facing a First. Now, they are only separated by 90 minutes. In the duel, no doubt, there will be a story from the past in the minds of the protagonists. Back in the 50s, a misfortune put an end to football in the town. After the conclusion of a match, the staff got on a bus to go home. They suffered an accident and the goalkeeper of the team died. That fateful event ended the dreams of the club and the people of competing. A few years later, the project was relaunched thanks to the enthusiasm of a group of young people trained by Marzá, a Real Madrid exporter. This game goes for all of them.

Móstoles CF: “We will continue for you, president”

At first it may be familiar to any reader, but this is nothing more than an illusion for the dozens and dozens of Madrid clubs. It is not the Móstoles URJC, but the Móstoles CF, recently founded. After the disappearance of the historic CD Móstoles in 2013, was founded, thanks to Domingo Cieza and Antonio Del Cerro, its two founders. The latter was acting as president, but passed away on October 26. Not so long ago, his club, to which he had dedicated body and soul since its creation, made history by getting into the Cup. The players, who they knew the president perfectly for his total involvementThey kept him celebrating the best moment of their lives, taking as a reference seven years ago. Now, they know that whatever happens, it will be in their tribute. Because in the short life of the entity, they went through everything, from success to stagnation, passing through the mind the failure of what it implied not to continue. And in all this, Antonio was always in the front row of combat.

Despite the club's short stay in the lower categories of Madrid football, they have already earned a name and the respect of the greatest. Without going further, the Alcorcón or the Fuenlabrada joined the messages of condolences for the death of their president. Dozens and dozens of other figures in the football scene dedicated words of affection to him. Since that day the social networks of Móstoles CF wear a black crepe and they will continue to do so for a long time. What better way to pay tribute than by showing yourself to the world. The Cup arrives for the first time in the short history of the entity. He does not do it at the best time, although he does it as the best tribute,

Marchamalo: sacrifice is the key to success

The peculiar name of another of the teams invited to the new edition of the Cup comes from the town of Marchamalo, located in the province of Guadalajara and practically touching the Community of Madrid. Therefore, there are a few kilometers that separate it from its rival, the Móstoles. Of course, it is much older, since it was founded in 1973. Although His experience in the elite dates back to 2005, when the historic promotion to Third Division was achieved. Since then, have been common in the fourth category, but always far from experiencing for the first time what Second B.

The Marchamalo is characterized by being a very sacrificial team. One of his footballers, Adri Peláez, published a video on Twitter that evidences it. In a counterattack, the rival stayed in a two against one against his goal. It seemed like a clear dangerous situation, but up to five new Marchamalo players sprinted with all their determination to put an end to the attack. The images, not attached by television rights, can be found on the @Adrileganess account. Regardless of the play in question, the team is highly regarded in the Autonomous Community. Without going further, 'La tribuna de Toledo' defines him as “the most rolled and set of the Subgroup”, arguing all the months of work, the maintenance of the block and the impulse that the promotion gives it. As a curiosity, Butler is essential in the core.

Racing Rioja: capital to get high

Just two years ago, in 2018, a new club was born in La Rioja. Its directors looked for another alternative first: buy, merge with another entity so as not to start from the bottom. In fact, the initial objective was not to settle in the current Autonomous Community. After seeing that their idea was unfeasible, they bet on playing in La Rioja. Why? Because it is one of the lowest echelons of all national football, in order to reach the elite. In the area, so there is only one category lower than Third Division. Thus, by entering Regional directly, starting from scratch, they could reach the fourth national hierarchical level in a matter of no time. Said and done, in their second year they have managed to move up and are now 90 minutes away from taking on a First. Meteoric progression they call it.

The initial idea of ​​the entity was that footballers from foreign countries such as China would come to the club so that they grow and use the club as a way of passage to reach higher categories. In addition, the money that is invested in transfers by the entities there is considerably high. Thus, if the idea goes well, they could enter large amounts to grow in a short time. At the moment, it's working. In addition, from the creators of player-coach and the almost unique case of the Montañesa of player-sports director a new variant arrives at Racing Rioja, even more surprising than the one previously narrated: the player-president. 28-year-old Jose Alexandre Coelho Viegas takes office as he tries to contribute as much as possible on the pitch. The Cup sometimes gives this away: a future colossus that circumstances prevent him from still being at the top. Write down his name. Racing Rioja.

Diocesan School: with the endorsement of a school and link with Milan

A complex story where they exist. Part by part. The Diocesan College Sports Club was founded in 1986, attached to the Diocesan College Asunción de Nuestra Señora de Ávila. At that time the promotion to the Junior Honor Division was achieved, with a team based on the youth of the province and the school's own students. All the successes achieved led to the signing of a affiliate agreement with Real Ávila, the colossus of the city. Already in 2006, the Bishop, Jesús García Burillo, promoted a new stage in the history of the entity, which merged with the Colegio Diocesano Pablo VI. Hence the current denomination was born: the CD Colegios Diocesanos.

Formalisms aside, the 'Dioce', as he is popularly known in the province, went from being a humble club in which the school kids had a leading role to take a step forward to compete in the national category. So a solid structure was created, promoting grassroots football. It's more, another affiliate agreement was signed with Milan Academy Ávila, a school linked to the Italian squad. As you can see, everything has happened. But that all has led them to today, to fight against Racing Rioja, in a whole Copa del Rey. In another era, without COVID, students would travel en masse to fill the visiting stadium. It is a historic moment. Because although it is no longer the case, the talent of the students has also been part of their trajectory. And in duels like the cupbearer it should be remembered.

Real Titanic: nobody sinks the 'Titanic'

The Titanic has been the most complicated search of all the stories told along these lines. Google stuff. And from Twitter. The bosses eliminate the O from the name of the club or, at least, include the TItanic when trying to dive for the results of the Asturian entity. But do not believe that the small preview of this chapter is for the simple anecdote. Yes, the Royal Titanic owes its name to the ship, of which one of the most successful films in history would be written. Founded in 1912, the club first adopted the same name as the English ship. Years later, he did the job of the search engines, but in reverse and added the O. But, Why was he known like this?

In Laviana, a council in Asturias, a young man known as Chepe returned to town to enjoy the holidays after spending months in England. He told his close friends the story of the ship, a real shock to the world at that time. Their passion for football led them to found a club and, why not, give it the name of the Titanic. With the proliferation of Asturian sport, the team lost its most important footballers, which led to their disappearance. The soccer tradition of the region led them not to give up. Years later, two clubs would be refound in tribute: the Gimnástica and the Arenas Club de Fútbol. One never officially competed. The other died in the Civil War.

After the end of the war, Laviana is resurrected with football, under a new name, already Spanishized: the Real Titanico. There was no way to consolidate. They disappeared and in 1964 the umpteenth stage would begin: the Laviana Football Club. Finally, everything was as it had to go. It was promoted to Third and the original name was recovered, although with the final O added. In his day, that's how it was by a Francoist law that prohibited foreign words And so it stayed, by tradition more than anything. Years later, in 1999, before one of the most important matches in its history (against Leganés B, in the promotion of promotion to Second B), they went out onto the field with the Republican flag. Las Tolvas (will be played in the Nuevo Nalón) absorb hundreds of stories under its walls, but never one like vibrating with the Cup. Now they can, because, despite everything, no one sank the Titanic-o.

Anaitasuna: pioneers in women's football

Perhaps not only in Spain, but throughout the world, it is a striking case. How many clubs are there where the women's section has been extremely successful, while the men's section has not even reached professional football? El interés creciente de las mujeres por el fútbol en Azkoitia generó que se lanzara en la temporada 1986-87 un equipo femenino. Eran pioneras. En el País Vasco y prácticamente en todo el territorio nacional. Apenas cinco años después de su nacimiento llegó el primer trofeo: la Copa de Gipuzkoa. Dos campañas después, sus éxitos locales les llevaron al ascenso a División de Honor, en aquel entonces la máxima categoría a nivel nacional. Eso sí, la plaza la lograron después de la expulsión de otro club: el Cornellà.

Varias de sus futbolistas fueron convocadas por la Selección Española. Poco duró el éxito, ya que la temporada siguiente, el club renunció voluntariamente a seguir en la élite del fútbol femenino español de la época. La Copa la jugará la sección masculina, que ha peleado a lo largo de su historia por ganarse un hueco en Tercera División. No relacionen a este club con el de balonmano porque no tienen nada que ver. Es más, no coinciden ni siquiera en la misma Comunidad Autónoma. La entidad de la Liga ASOBAL tiene su sede en Pamplona. El conjunto en cuestión en Azkoitia, una localidad de Guipúzcoa, en el País Vasco. Su nombre, por supuesto, no es el nombre de ningún municipio, sino una palabra en Euskera, que al castellano se traduce como hermandad.

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Rusadir: el encargado del pistoletazo

El pistoletazo de salida de la nueva Copa del Rey se dará en Melilla, con el enfrentamiento entre Rusadir y CD Rincón. Y, desde luego, no puede responder mejor a la paradoja de la nueva era. En primer lugar, porque enfrentará a dos equipos de la parte más modesta de todo el panorama nacional. El equipo de Melilla llega desde Primera Regional. El andaluz, por su parte, lo hace desde Preferente. Ninguno de los dos está en Tercera División. Otra puntualización importante: el primer duelo se disputa ¡sin conocer al campeón de la anterior edición! Llegarán después muchos más, si bien el primer click al cronómetro lo darán ambos conjuntos.

La Copa, sin duda, es un sueño imposible para el Rusadir. Sin embargo, en redes sociales no alardean lo suficiente. De hecho, prácticamente le dan la misma relevancia al duelo de su División de Honor Juvenil, que se disputará a partir de las 13:00. Cinco horas después, llegará el acontecimiento histórico gracias a triunfar en la Regional melillense en la pasada campaña. El nombre del club, por cierto, se debe a cómo se conocía a la zona cuando se instalaron allí los fenicios en el siglo VIII a.C. Si quieren traducirlo, el Rincón se medirá al “cabo imponente”. La Espiguera será anfitriona del regreso del torneo del KO.

CD Rincón: de la Costa del Sol a la Copa del Rey

El Rusadir-Rincón será un partido histórico en la Copa del Rey, porque supondrá, tal y como explica el periodista Rafael Escrig, el primer encuentro en el que jueguen dos equipos por debajo de Tercera División. Así, tal y como están definidas las bases de la competición ¡un equipo de División de Honor Senior o Primera Regional se enfrentará a uno de Primera División! A diferencia de las particularidades de Melilla, el club malagueño llega a la cita debido a que la Federación Andaluza decidió que la plaza del torneo copero sería para el mejor clasificado de Regional que no obtuviera el premio del ascenso. La decisión, por supuesto, ha generado mucha polémica dentro de las bases de las diferentes territoriales.

Tan inesperado ha sido el acceso del Rincón a la Copa que el mismo club ha tirado de humor para celebrar el memorable acontecimiento. El exfutbolista del equipo Lito, ahora cómico, ha grabado un vídeo en las redes sociales con un filtro, en homenaje a las expectativas que tenían hace 25 años por el Rincón de la Victoria. Pese a que la entidad no es reconocida por el público general, sí lo es la localidad en la que sitúa su sede. Uno de los pueblos más conocidos de la Costa del Sol, con una de las temperaturas medias anuales más altas de todo el continente y que se llena de turistas cada verano.

Tomares: 'all in' desde Regional

Otra llegada polémica a la Copa. El Tomares, por decisión de la Federación Andaluza, obtuvo derecho a disputar el torneo del KO, pese a no ser uno de los mejores de Regional. Pese a ello,  no hay ni un solo atisbo de preocupación en el club. Es un día para el recuerdo y no queda otra que disfrutarlo como la ocasión merece. Pese a su humildad, el club apuesta fuerte por la organización. Mismamente, su cuenta de Twitter está perfectamente cuidada y suma ya casi 5.000 seguidores, una de las cifras más altas de todos los clubes que disputan la ronda preliminar. En los últimos días, conscientes también de todo el aluvión mediático que podría tener su irrupción en la élite, crearon una cuenta de Instagram, que cuenta con 700 'followers' en un solo día.

Independientemente de los recursos con los que cuente la entidad, el municipio es uno de los más ricos de toda España. Es más, es el que suma más renta per cápita de toda Andalucía. Su población también es de las más densas de entre todos los pequeños pueblos que llenan esta web: 25.359 habitantes. Suficientes para crear una liga de fútbol chapas. Como lo oyen. Su patrón, San Sebastián, es el que da nombre al estadio en el que se disputará la eliminatoria. Quizás tras ella, los futbolistas se den una vuelta por el único casino de toda Andalucía Occidental. Jugar contra un Primera tiene que llegar por ser su día de suerte.

Chinato: el orgullo de Malpartida de Plasencia

La pequeña localidad de Malpartida de Plasencia espera ansiosa el pitido inicial. La pandemia no permitirá a ninguno de los 4.602 habitantes coger rumbo a Andalucía para ver a su Chinato, pero el club ha hecho campaña para que todos y cada uno de ellos vean el partido por televisión. Lo emitirá la Federación Andaluza de Fútbol, si gustan. Pese a jugar en Tercera División, una categoría por encima de su rival, el club, fundado en 1969, no se quiere confiar. El técnico, Emilio Gil, recuerda que mantienen la base que logró el ascenso desde Regional la pasada temporada y que, por tanto, no parten de una condición superior a su adversario. Además, añade que el nivel de Preferente Andaluza está a la altura que la Tercera Extremeña. “Tenemos que disfrutar, soltar los nervios. Todo puede pasar“, cierra.

No es ninguna novedad la siguiente declaración: “Es el partido más importante de nuestra historia“. El autor de la frase no es otro que Domingo García, presidente del Chinato. Pero podría ser el del Cardassar, el del Real Titánico, el entrenador del Anaitasuna, el lateral del Racing Rioja o el utillero del Marchamalo. Quizás Sergio García y Verdú supongan las únicas excepciones, por su experiencia en la élite del fútbol español. Porque sí, Holanda y España rememorarán la final del Mundial en un nuevo amistoso; Ibrahimovic dejará una nueva frase viral; Tuchel o Solskjaer estarán discutidos; se debatirá si Hazard debe ir con Bélgica en caso de dar negativo… Noticias del día a día, que nos hacen sentir el deporte como un balón de oxígeno para amenizar los duros momentos pasados y por pasar en esta pandemia. Pero no lo sentiremos igual que esos cerca de 500 protagonistas que saltarán al césped con la ilusión de llegar a donde nunca esperaron. Porque usted, que lee y que quizás un día brilló en un modesto equipo que se codeaba en el barro del fútbol regional, también pudo estar mañana ahí. El fútbol modesto, ante su gran fiesta. La que permite la COVID-19 y la que dejará a diez equipos mirando a los ojos de los grandes, desde Regional para el mundo. Vuelve la Copa.