Betis looks to the past in search of strength to face the final of the Copa del Rey against Valencia. This is the fifth final that the Verdiblanco team will play in this competition. He won the titles in 1977 and 2005. And he signed the runners-up in 1931 and 1997. In La Cartuja, he will try to emulate those two victories that are part of his history. In the first he knocked down Athletic Bilbao and in the second Osasuna to achieve glory.
17 years ago the heliopolitan team played their last cup final and emerged victorious from it. It was at the Vicente Calderón and the team then coached by Lorenzo Serra Ferrer won 2-1 thanks to a goal in extra time from youth squad Dani. It was his second cup title after the one signed in 1977 at the hands of historical figures such as Esnaola, Cardeñosa or Biosca. Two goals from López equalized Athletic Bilbao’s early leads in a final that ended in a penalty shootout. There were 20 shots until the Betis goalkeeper saved Iribar’s last one.
The dispute of a final for the Betis team did not always taste like glory. In Chamartín, in 1931, Athletic took the trophy by winning by a clear 3-1. Closer, in 1997, came the second Betis fall in a final: it was against Barcelona and ended with another extension for oblivion. Betis went ahead twice through Alfonso and Finidi, but Juan Antonio Pizzi forced extra time in the 88th minute and Luis Figo finally imposed his law to bring down the team trained by Serra Ferrer.