Former Manchester United and Chelsea star Juan Mata turned back the clock with a sensational free-kick for Melbourne Victory on Saturday. Despite the Spaniard's individual brilliance, a late collapse saw his side surrender a two-goal lead in a frantic A-League encounter.
Football can be a cruel game, but few will experience a Saturday as nightmarish as former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Josh Oluwayemi. The 24-year-old shot-stopper, who once walked the halls of the Spurs training ground under the watchful eyes of Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, found himself at the centre of a sporting catastrophe during Wellington Phoenix’s 5-0 thrashing at the hands of rivals Auckland FC.
Former Manchester United and Chelsea star Juan Mata rolled back the years by scoring an eye-catching brace for Melbourne Victory in a 3-1 derby win over Melbourne City on Saturday. The goals even drew praise from Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes who took to social media to show his appreciation for the 37-year-old's excellent efforts in the A-League clash.
Josh Cavallo, the first openly gay active professional male footballer, has launched a scathing attack on his former club Adelaide United. The 26-year-old alleges that "internal homophobia", not footballing reasons, was the true cause behind his lack of playing time and eventual departure from the A-League side. In a deeply personal statement, he also revealed that teammates mocked his relationship.
Former Chelsea midfielder Ulises Davila has pleaded guilty to orchestrating a yellow card fixing scheme in Australia’s A-League that netted nearly £100,000 in illegal betting payouts. The ex-Macarthur FC captain admitted to leading an operation involving two teammates, manipulating cautions in multiple matches — a scandal that has shocked Australian football and tarnished his once-promising career.
Former Bayern Munich and Juventus attacker Douglas Costa has an arrest warrant issued against him due to unresolved child support payments amounting to over €78,000. His contract with Sydney was terminated after mutual agreement after Costa has been forbidden from leaving his native country Brazil and went on to apologise to the club's fans in his statement.
Barcelona are the most successful Copa del Rey side in history, winning the cup 31 times, seven more than Athletic Bilbao and 11 more than bitter rivals Real Madrid. Their first-ever Copa del Rey win came in the 1909-10 season. Since the start of the 2014-15 season, the Catalans have lifted this trophy six times.
How many teams are in the Copa del Rey?
Currently, as many as 126 teams participate in the Copa del Rey, starting at the top from La Liga and going all the way down to the Tercera Federacion, the fifth tier in Spanish football league system. In its inaugural edition in 1903, just three teams (Athletic Bilbao, Espanyol, and Madrid FC) took part.
Who has made the most Copa del Rey appearances ever?
Former Athletic Bilbao and Spain forward Piru Gainza is Copa del Rey's record-appearance maker ever, featuring in 99 games in the cup competition.
Who is the all-time top scorer of the Copa del Rey?
Iconic Spanish forward Telmo Zarra is Copa del Rey's all-time top scorer, finding the back of the net on 81 occasions between 1939 and 1957. All those goals came in an Athletic Bilbao shirt.
Who is the oldest player ever in the Copa del Rey and how old was he?
CD Bunol goalkeeper Paco is the oldest player to ever feature in a Copa del Rey game, achieving the feat against Real Sociedad in 2023 at the age of 44 years and 231 days.
Who is the youngest player ever in the Copa del Rey and how old was he?
Armando Sagi is the youngest player to ever feature in a Copa del Rey game. Playing for Barcelona, Sagi was just 15 years and 339 days old when he made his debut in the competition on April 2, 1922.
Which famous players have played in the Copa del Rey?
Antoine Griezmann, Luka Modric, Sergio Ramos, Neymar, Gareth Bale, James Rodriguez, Telmo Zarra, Sergio Busquets, Roberto Carlos, Luis Suarez, and Xavi are some of the most famous players to have played in the Copa del Rey.
Which famous managers have managed in the Copa del Rey?
Carlo Ancelotti, Luis Enrique, Juande Ramos, Claudio Ranieri, Louis van Gaal, Sir Bobby Robson, Cesar Menotti, Miguel Munoz, and Ferdinand Daucik are some of Copa del Rey's most famous mangers.