13 SEMI-FINALS SINCE 2004: SEVILLA MAKING HISTORY IN THE 21ST CENTURY

To say that Sevilla FC have turned their history around in the 21^st century would be an understatement. Titles bagged since that extraordinary night in Eindhoven have put Sevilla on the map, not only nationally but on a European scale. However, there are more stats that show the competitive growth in Nervión from even years before. In fact, their qualification to the Copa del Rey semi-finals last night against Atlético Madrid makes for an important stat. Putting to one side the Copa de Andalucía in which the team have secured 18 titles since the start of the 20^th century, it is brought to light that Sevilla FC have secured qualification to more semi-finals since 2004 than in all previous decades in the side's history. Since their elimination at the hands of Atlético in the 03/04 Cup quarter-finals, they have risen to 13 semi-finals, 8 in the Copa del Rey and 5 in the Europa League. 

Such is the progress made by the side in the Copa del Rey, that FC Barcelona are the only team that have managed to place among the top 4 this century more times than Sevilla. This Thursday, the Barcelona side will look to qualify for their twelfth semi-final since 2001, the only stat to top that of the Sevillistas who, following yesterday's result, have already secured their place in the semi-finals. Behind Sevilla are Real Madrid - with 6 qualifications that could become 7 tonight -, Atlético Madrid (6), Athletic Bilbao (5) and Deportivo de La Coruña (4). With the 3 possibilities for the next round yet to be confirmed, the side dream of progressing even further in the Cup whilst simultaneously laying the foundations to climb even higher in La Liga.  

In these 15 years of progression in Cup tournaments, participation in the semi-finals has resulted in qualification to 8 finals, all five Europa League and 3 in the Copa del Rey in 2007, 2010 and 2016. Of them all, only the last resulted in defeat when the side came up against FC Barcelona at the Calderón. Proof of the competitiveness which seems to have made a triumphant return with the defeat of Atlético, who have proven themselves one of the most courageous team's of the moment but have been left in Sevilla's wake.