Sevilla FC will begin its Copa del Rey campaign in an unusual setting: the Val municipal stadium, in Alcalá de Henares, which boasts the largest playing field in Spain. The team will face Sporting de Hortaleza this Thursday at 9:00 p.m., and the refereeing will take place on a field that measures 108 meters long by 72 meters wide, exceeding the standard dimensions of 105x68 meters shared by the Camp Nou and the Santiago Bernabéu.
The decision to play at Municipal del Val was due to the fact that Sporting de Hortaleza, a club from Madrid's Primera Autonómica, did not obtain authorization from the RFEF to host Sevilla in its own stadium. The venue did not meet the minimum requirements demanded by the federation for the competition. The club tried to negotiate with Leganés to use the Butarque stadium, but the proposal was rejected because the Pepinero team had already played its Cup match in its own stadium. Finally, Sporting de Hortaleza agreed with RSD Alcalá to transfer their stadium, which has natural grass and is the largest in the country.
The Municipal del Val, with a capacity for 8,000 spectators after the installation of more than 3,000 seats from the Vicente Calderón, has become an attractive venue for Sevilla fans. A large influx is expected, especially from supporters of Madrid supporters clubs who will travel to the game. However, the logistics of the trip will be affected by the recent train accident on the Madrid-Seville line, where 68 fatalities have been recorded in the Urda area (Toledo), which has caused interruptions in traffic and difficulties in transporting fans.
Sevilla FC, which is preparing for its first Copa del Rey match, faces a lower-class rival but with the advantage of playing on an exceptionally large field. The match is emerging as an opportunity for the Sevilla team to demonstrate its dominance in an environment that, although not its usual stadium, offers dimensions that could influence the dynamics of the game. With the expectation of a large attendance and the peculiarity of playing on the largest field in the country, the match promises to be a memorable event for Sevilla FC fans.