MADRID, Sept 15: Real Madrid and Barcelona are the traditional powerhouses of Spanish football, but there is no doubt that the form side of the past two seasons in La Liga has been Sevilla.

Almost 60 years since winning their last major trophy, the Andalucians amassed five cups in the space of just 15 months.

They became the first side since Real in 1986 to win back-to-back UEFA Cups when they defeated fellow Spaniards Espanyol in May and went on to win the King’s Cup a month later.

Although they were in with a chance of winning the Spanish league title right up until the final game of last season, they eventually had to settle for third spot and a place in the qualifying round of the Champions League.

Despite suffering the tragic death of the 22-year-old defender/midfielder Antonio Puerta in between the two games against AEK Athens, Sevilla overpowered the Greeks 6-1 on aggregate to take their place in the group phase.

Sevilla’s only previous participation in the European Cup was in 1958 when they reached the quarter-finals only to be demolished 10-2 on aggregate by eventual winners Real Madrid.—Reuters