Barcelona and Real Madrid can often consider the Copa del Rey a distraction from their pursuit of the Champions League and La Liga, but for the other 18 teams in the division, it’s a real prize, and for a team as historic and well supported as Real Betis, winning would mean everything.
Just listen to Betis’s creative maestro Nabil Fekir’s thoughts on his side’s battle for the top four compared with their Copa Final coming up this weekend.
“It would be amazing to play in the Champions League, it’s a prestigious competition, everyone wants to play in it, to taste it,” Fekir told AFP in an exclusive interview.
“But we have one game left in the cup, it’s a do-or-die match. We’re honoured to be in the final and we will give everything to try to win.
“It would be beautiful, something incredibly special. The most important thing is to win trophies, especially here, with the spirit we have at this club, and the supporters. That doesn’t happen every day.
“It’s for everyone. For the people who work at the club, for the supporters. Seville is a city that lives to the rhythm of football. We want to win this for them.”
They face Valencia in the final this weekend, another major power of Spanish football who would desperately love to get their hands on the trophy.
The match will be played in Seville – but in La Cartuja rather than the Benito Villamarin. We’re not sure if that gives them an advantage or a disadvantage, but either way you can be sure the city will be alive with fans and an electric atmosphere as the verdiblancos play for the all-too-rare chance to win a trophy.
