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10.05.2007 11:48
The signs are good for tonight
Jesús Carrillo
Six years after their last Spanish Cup semi-final, FC Barcelona are back in action for the second leg of the tie against Getafe. Every time over the last 25 years that Barça has won the second leg in the semi-finals, they’ve qualified for the final.
Over the last 25 years, Barça have reached the semi-finals on 12 occasions. Only on three occasions have they then failed to reach the final.
However, every time Barça have been victorious in the second leg – home or away – they have always ended up winning the tie. Among the teams knocked out by Barça in the semi-finals in these 25 years are Las Palmas (twice), Athletic Club (twice), Real Sociedad, Osasuna, Valencia, Espanyol and Zaragoza.
The last semi-final
FC Barcelona last reached the semi-final stage of the Cup in the 2000-01 season, under Carles Rexach. Celta won the first leg 3-1 and then held on to a 1-1 draw in the Camp Nou. With the league programme already over, it meant that Josep Guardiola played his last game for Barça.
A favourable precedent from 1998
In April 1998, FC Barcelona played host to Zaragoza in the Cup semi-final. The score was the same as this year against Getafe (5-2) and a goalless draw in the return leg in La Romareda sent Barça through to the final, where they defeated Mallorca in Valencia’s Mestalla stadium.
Knocked out without playing
In the 1999/2000 semi-finals, Barça were knocked out by Atlético de Madrid in a very special return
leg, given that FC Barcelona were unable to field eleven players. Atlético won the first leg 3-0
but the return leg clashed with qualifying matches for the European Nations Cup in Holland and
Belgium. Manager Louis van Gaal only had nine outfield players available plus the two goalkeepers.
The match couldn’t be played and Atlético went through to the final.
