Seville has arguably provided more than any other Spanish city in terms of art, literature and even music.  However, its contribution in a football sense amounts to little more than a few youth products sold to the big boys and a brief flirtation with European glory in the middle of the last decade. That sums it up, doesn’t it?

              Not at all. Football, like everything in the Andalusian capital, is taken to extremes. The over-the-top element which characterises the locals is an ever-present throughout the footballing calendar.  During the build up to this weekend’s derby, the talk was about how evenly matched the sides were, how difficult it was to call and whether Betis’ lofty position in the league would be the undoing of the home side. Every derby I have been to has been different and unpredictable, at times enchanting, at times worryingly parochial, yet always entertaining, however, this being Seville, the entertainment has not always been provided on the pitch.

              Most cities in Spain tend to have a structure similar to the Clooney family, in a football sense, at least. Take Barcelona FC, or should I say George; glamorous, worldly, object of desire and the epitome of success, then you have Espanyol, played here by sister Adelia; frumpy, unpopular and largely forgettable. In Seville it is not like that, that does not mean we have two Georges, but both sides do compete evenly for the residents’ attentions.

             And with that in mind, Monday morning must have been an unusual affair. Mondays are difficult and unpleasant per se, but made more so when the night before you were given a mauling at the hands of your neighbour and greatest rival. Half the city would have had an extra spring in their step this morning, setting the alarm clock early, that first coffee tasting sweeter than ever as they jumped into the car. The chill in the morning air strangely softened as the radio recounts the story of that victory, even the pain of a fuzzy head following the celebratory drinks seems to abate and the traffic lights that cause cursing and fury on normal working days simply highlight the difference between red and green on this day.

              Seville’s fans would have been the first in workplaces throughout the city today, awaiting patiently the chance to poke fun at their neighbours. Previous meetings normally end a lot closer and so should one side lose, they can always take refuge in the penalty that was not given, the offside that could not have been or the disallowed goal that rounded off the conspiracy. However, when you lose 5-1, and that in a second half in which Sevilla participated almost as little as their rivals, there is nowhere to hide; you just have to take it.

             So, will Betis’ fans be hiding today? Quite the opposite, you will probably see more Betis’ shirts on the streets of Seville today than any other Monday. Did they go home or sit with their heads in their hands as the half time whistle went with them four down? No, their small section of the crowd out-sang the home fans for large portions of the game, thus summing up what football means to people in this city, and leaving you in no doubt why their mottos include phrases such as “until I die” and “even if we lose”. 

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About the author
Craig Cavanagh
Una perspectiva diferente sobre el fútbol en Hispalis y más allá.