La Liga wrap: Joaquin’s night to remember in El Gran Derbi, plus Barcelona, Real Madrid and more

The 37-year-old came off the bench on Sunday night to seal a first home win for the green-and-white side of Seville since 2006 on an evening of passion and drama at the Benito Villamarin
Derby delight | Joaquim celebrates his winner over rivals Sevilla
AFP/Getty Images/Cristina Quicler
Ben Hayward4 September 2018

“It had to be Joaquin”. The front page of Seville sports paper Estadio Deportivo said exactly what everyone else was thinking on Monday morning after the Betis captain had headed his side to victory in El Gran Derbi against Sevilla.

Both sets of supporters will have thought so too, albeit for different reasons. And AS agreed. “It had to be him,” the Madrid-based paper said. If ever a script seemed perfect, this was it. The game’s most significant moment had come from its most emblematic player.

It was Joaquin’s night. “For the people of Seville,” he had said in the build-up to Sunday’s game, “the derby is one of the most important events of the year.”

No doubt about that. This is a fixture that divides the city in two. For the fans on either side, it means so much. Whatever happens in the rest of the season, winning the derby is important. Really important.

Perhaps even more so for Betis. Quique Setien’s side thrashed Sevilla 5-3 at the Sanchez Pizjuan in La Liga last season. But they had not beaten their rivals at the Benito Villamarin since April 2006.

Joaquin played in that one, but did not score. He had only one derby goal before Sunday and a calf problem meant he could not start, either. In fact, he did not know if he would play at all. But after a frank chat with Setien the day before the game, it was decided that he would. At least for a while.

Photo: AFP/Getty Images/Cristina Quicler

So on he came. When he did, Betis were a man up. The momentum was with the home side; it was time to take a risk. And within five minutes, he had popped up at the far post to head home an Aissa Mandi cross.

Jubilant scenes followed. Joaquin peeled off his shirt and ran to the corner of the stadium to celebrate with the fans. All of his team-mates followed. There were screams, there were tears, there was euphoria. Pure passion.

It turned out to be the winner and at full-time, there was an emotional embrace with Setien. “We hugged,” Joaquin said later. “It’s a miracle we didn’t kiss each other on the lips.”

Before uttering those words in the mixed zone, still dressed in his full kit and with slippers on as he addressed the media, Joaquin spoke of “an immense joy”, especially “for the Betis fans, for the souls in the stadium” and said that, after this, “I know I can leave football a happy man”.

“But why are you so serious?” one reporter asked. “I’m not serious, I’m emocionao (emotional),” he replied. The word is emocionado, but Andalusians often drop letters. It is part of their accent, part of their charm. And Joaquin has plenty of that.

“Joaquin has a special flavour,” Marca wrote. The Betis fans would agree. The Cadiz-born midfielder is one of their own, a Betis fan who is often seen out and about in town. Meeting the people. Down the local bar. A normal guy. A footballer from a bygone era.

“As the captain, as a bético, it is special,” he said. And asked about his peroxide look, which dates back to June, he said: “The blonde hair came in useful to score my first goal.” It did. His first derby winner in his 20th appearance in the fixture, equalling former Spanish international defender Diego Rodriguez, who represented both teams. At 37 years and 43 days, he also became the oldest player to score in El Gran Derbi.

Joaquin was one of nine children and once claimed on camera that he had benefited from being breastfed until the age of six. He is known for his jokes as much as his football and is always asked to tell one when he appears on television. In one of his recent interviews, he admitted that he made up his Italian as he went along when speaking to TV during his time at Fiorentina. And there is a famous photograph of him celebrating Valencia’s 2008 Copa del Rey. Standing beside the trophy, grinning, and completely naked in the dressing room. “Everyone in Spain has seen Joaquin’s penis,” one journalist noted.

Not that he cares. During one television interview while he was playing at Malaga, he was asked about his hobbies outside football. “Tennis,” he replied. In the background, then team-mate Julio Baptista suddenly starts to crack up. “He’s never played tennis in his life and he says tennis!” To that, Joaquin breaks into laughter too and admits: “I don’t even know how to hold a racquet, Hulio!”

Baptista is Brazilian and Julio in Portuguese is pronounced with a soft ‘j’ sound, whereas it is more like an English ‘h’ in Spanish. Joaquin’s pronunciation is neither, more like a silent Spanish ’h’ and the hilarious exchange has seen him nicknamed Hulio. He loves the moniker, though, and even asked La Liga if he could play with ‘Hulio’ on the back of his shirt this season. They said no.

‘Huliazo’ was Marca’s headline on their front page on Monday, the ‘azo’ emphasising the greatness of the moment: gol in Spanish means goal, while golazo is a great goal. Likewise, Andres Iniesta’s epic strike at Stamford Bridge for Barcelona in 2009 became known as the ‘Iniestazo’. This derby winner, a ‘Huliazo’.

And inside Marca, the match report was entitled: “Hulio, look have you done!” For Betis, this win was huge. Since their last victory against their local rivals at the Benito Villamarin, Sevilla have won the Europa League five times. But on the green-and-white side of the derby divide, life has been rather more difficult in recent years.

That is perhaps why it mattered so much. And Joaquin said: “We are growing institutionally, we are improving as a team.” They are. Last season, Betis finished sixth while Sevilla came seventh. Winning a derby, though, clearly meant more.

“If your strength fails you, look at the badge,” a Betis tifo read before kick-off. “There is no prettier sight in the world.” And the noise was incredible from the 53,451 fans, most of those cheering on the home team. Many of Sevilla’s supporters sat anonymously among the enemy, but the 600 or so that were up the top at one end had a banner of their own. “Look at our badge and tremble,” it read.

Sevilla competed well for much of the night and were furious when midfielder Roque Mesa was sent off following a second yellow card after 66 minutes. The former Swansea and Las Palmas man had supposedly impeded goalkeeper Pau Lopez, but really he had been clattered by the Catalan goalkeeper and could have been awarded a penalty.

Coach Pablo Machin raged at the decision and complained at the lack of intervention by the video assistant referee. “VAR is here to impart justice,” he said. “If they are going to officiate like that, they might as well do it in a BAR with a few beers…”

Former Sevilla goalkeeper Andres Palop was abused repeatedly on social media by fans of the club as he claimed on television that the dismissal had been fair, while the club’s sporting director Joaquin Caparros said afterwards: “Betis haven’t merited the victory. I would like to see the red card incident again properly.”

Caparros, a former Sevilla coach, had said beforehand that he was thinking about watching the match with the fans in the stands at the Benito Villamarin, but ultimately travelled on the team bus and that was probably for the best, given that he has history with Betis fans. He has often wound up rival supporters in the past and was forced to apologise last season for an obscene gesture made to a Betis supporter while on the coach to the game, then as interim boss.

Photo: AFP/Getty Images/Cristina Quicler

Outside the Benito Villamarin on Sunday, there was a banner which read, in English, “Fuck Caparros”, and anti-Sevilla songs were the order of the day in the streets surrounding the Benito Villamarin before kick-off. Indeed, anyone not wearing green and white was looked upon with some suspicion.

This is El Gran Derbi and it is intense like no other fixture in Spain. But amid all the stories, the night belonged to Joaquin, who had roused his team-mates with a passionate pre-match speech in the dressing room.

“We know what we’re playing for today,” he said in a loud voice, arms locked with the rest to the players. “50,000 or more souls out there behind us, supporting us… 90 minutes.

“Every detail is important. Commitment, attitude, excitement… get involved! Look into the eyes of your team-mate, put your foot in hard, be there to follow up… 90 minutes, 50-50 balls, in the air, strong in the opening minutes, that is what is going to take us to victory today!”

And ultimately, it did, although it was he who provided the vital moment. “I have dreamed about this lots of times,” he said. He and thousands of others. On Sunday night, those fans went home happy. It will live long in the memory.

Real Madrid brushed aside Leganes at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday , with Karim Benzema scoring twice. “Benzema cries freedom!” Marca said, in reference to the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo. Meanwhile, fans chanted for the Ballon d’Or to be given to Luka Modric. “Lukita, Balón de Oro!” they sang. Not long ago, such tunes were reserved for the Portuguese. But he is gone now and everyone is acting right now as if they had never loved him anyway. Certainly, Julen Lopetegui’s side are looking good without him. As soon as a high-profile defeat arrives, though, he will be remembered more fondly…

In Pictures | Real Madrid vs Leganes | 01/09/2018

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Earlier on Sunday, Barcelona blasted eight past eight past Huesca at Camp Nou . Both Sport and El Mundo Deportivo led on their front pages with references to Mambo, a musical style in eight counts. Meanwhile, it was written in Madrid that such a result may not be positive for La Liga, although nobody seemed to say that when Real won 8-2 a couple of years ago away to Deportivo La Coruna. And that boost to their goal difference sees the champions top the table. “Leader’s mambo!” Lionel Messi had led the dance again with two goals and some superb play, while he became the first player to reach 150 assists in La Liga this century. Huesca’s bravery should also be commended, despite the result. Continue like this and they will stay up comfortably.

In Pictures | Barcelona vs Huesca | 02/09/2018

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Only mad dogs and Englishman go out in the midday sun. But Levante and Valencia had to do just that on Sunday and somehow played out an entertaining 2-2 draw. In 31-degree heat at the Ciutat de Valencia, there were two breaks for drinks, while 50,000 water bottles were handed out along with 20,000 caps to protect fans from the extreme conditions. Valencia have just two points from three games and Marcelino’s men have conceded in all of those. But it’s early days.

Atletico also need to defend better. Diego Simeone’s side lost 2-0 at Celta Vigo, the only side other than Barcelona and Real Madrid to remain unbeaten in La Liga so far. Balaidos has seen many a top team perish in recent seasons and Simeone’s three-man back line did not work.

EPA/Salvador Sas

Stefan Savic was sent off and is lucky to be starting on current form, while even Diego Godin is making mistakes at the moment. Unusual. Keep an eye on Celta, though, and their impeccably dressed coach Antonio Mohamed. Iago Aspas scored again and remains special, too.

​Villarreal are still struggling, with one point from their three games. The Yellow Submarine lost at home to Girona, with Cristhian Stuani scoring the only goal. And yes, he really does spell his name like that. One plus for Villarreal: it is wonderful to see Santi Cazorla back playing after his injury ordeal.

Valladolid drew 0-0 at Getafe and still haven’t scored this season, but they have been bought by Brazil legend Ronaldo, who has netted a few goals in his time. Maybe he can help…

Meanwhile, Alaves and Eibar have their first wins, beating Espanyol and Real Sociedad respectively (both 2-1). The other Basque side, Athletic Club, did not play because of stadium repairs at Rayo Vallecano. The ground at Vallecas is unsafe after a boy fell down a hole in the 4-1 loss to Sevilla and Rayo now need to figure out where to play their next home matches. Spain is different

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