VIII Edition of the Antonio Puerta trophy
The Club

THE ANTONIO PUERTA TROPHY WITH THE PRESTIGE WHICH THE LEFT-BACK OF DIAMONDS DESERVES

09/08/2017
The match reaches its IX edition and has become an international affair in its last two, with the legendary Boca Juniors taking part last year and Serie A runners-up AS Roma competing this year

The IX Trofeo Antonio Puerta (Antonio Puerta Trophy) -in memory of the gone but never forgotten homegrown Sevillian talent- kicks-off the 17/18 season at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán this Thursday, as a presentation of the team in front of the fans. The match will offer up an authentic footballing spectacle, the type of match which the 'left-back of diamonds' will forever deserve. Sevilla FC vs AS Roma, runners-up of Serie A, a clash of the European elite that continues the rise of the prestige of this event, which has already gradually built up a renown in what is now almost a decade of fixtures. It will be the ninth edition which the Italian side take part in. The eighth, already an international affair, involved the legendary Boca Juniors. The Argentinian outfit left with the trophy after an exhilarating match which finished 3-4; with goals for Sevilla from N'Zonzi, Kolo and Vietto, and for the visitors, from Benedetto, Pavón and Carlos Tévez, who hit a brace and proved his quality.

Sevilla FC-AS Roma, an authentic footballing spectacle honouring the homegrown player and beginning a very exciting course for the fixture

To date, eight editions of the match have been played, from which Sevilla FC have lifted eight trophies; one was won by Granada CF on penalties in the third edition, and the other by the aforementioned Boca last summer. The match has been played every year since 2008, with the exception of 2015 in which, due to fixture scheduling and the reconstruction works going on in the stadium it was not possible for the event to take place. In 2008, Sevilla won 2-0 against Málaga CF, the goals scored by Luis Fabiano and Renato. The opponent was chosen due to being a recently promoted Andalusian club, as well as the team against which Puerta made his debut in 2004. In 2009, Sevilla FC were victorious again, this time against Xerez 2-1, with goals from José Carlos and Perotti for the hosts, and Míchel for the visitors. 

Six trophies remain in Nervión. One has gone to Granada and the other to Argentina, which was the last to be disputed

The third edition in 2010 saw a 1-1 draw with Granada (goals from José Carlos and Calvo) and a 4-2 win on penalties for the nazaríes. Between the fourth and seventh editions, the award, made of silver and red velvet, with the image of Antonio Puerta, remained in Seville. In 2011, Sevilla beat Espanyol 5-0 (with doubles for both Rodri and Kanouté and one goal for Manu del Moral); in 2012, they won 2-0 against Deportivo de la Coruña (goals for Negredo and Trochowski); in 2013, there was a 1-1 tie against Almería (Perotti and Christian Fdez scoring) and a subsequent 4-2 win on penalties; and in 2014, a 2-0 win for the home side against Córdoba (with Denis Suárez and Bacca on the score sheet). After the break in 2015, Boca took the prized trophy back to Argentina in 2016 and now, in 2017, AS Roma have come with the intention of taking the cup back to Italy. Last season's runners-up in Serie A (finishing just 4 points shy of Juventus) will take part in the Champions League group stage and are an ideal opponent against whom Sevilla can measure their potential.

It is time for the stadium to present itself as it does on big occasions such as this, with all the stands as full as possible, to make this the best attended edition of the tournament

The Sevilla supporters have been congregating in similar numbers over past years. With the exception of the third edition against Granada, for which the crowd was only about 3,000 fans, before and since, the crowd has surpassed the 20,000 mark, with 25,000 present at the fifth edition and 24,000 last year. It is now time for the ninth edition to obliterate all previous records and for the Sevilla stadium to present itself as it does on such big occasions, with the stands full for the enhancement which is fitting of the memory of the player who helped pave the way to many successes.