Salida de los jugadores al Municipal de Linrejos
First team

AN EMOTIONAL TRIBUTE TO FRAN CARLES FAR BEYOND ANY SCORELINE

21/05/2018
The Nervión side won 0-6 in an exciting friendly that commemorated eternal Deportivo Linares captain Fran Carles and Sevilla's-own Antonio Puerta

This Monday's match was one which - for more than one reason - went beyond any result. Sevilla pushed to a win as was expected in an emotional tribute fixture that finished 0-6 in Linares. Goals from Nolito and Alex Pozo in the first-half gave Sevilla a base, then Corchia, Konyc and Pejiño would add their own contributions in the second. Putting aside the result, the true triumph of the evening was the honouring of former Deportivo Linares captain Fran Carles, who lost his life in the summer of 2016 in similar circumstances to Antonio Puerta in 2007 and Pedro Berruezo in 1973. 

The aim of paying tribute to Carles was achieved with flying colors, in a night where both teams stepped onto the field wearing special commemorative shirts for the match. Club Chairman José Castro would also do his part, laying a wreath and gifting two shirts - one of Sevilla and one of Deportivo Linares donning the names of Carles and Antonio Puerta respectively. In the 8th minute - with the match still goalless - the entire Municipal de Linarejos Stadium stood to applaud former number 8 Fran Carles. In the 16th minute, the same thing happened for Antonio Puerta. Both tributes would take place before Nolito would open the scoring in the 24th minute. 

Sevilla, who had come out with a starting eleven of David Soria, Corchia, Genaro, Lenglet, Carole, Roque Mesa, Pozo, Arana, Ganso, Nolito and Miguel Martín took the initiative and would widen the lead on 26 minutes, this time through Alex Pozo Pozo. In the second-half, Corchia would not take long to restart the scoring and would be followed up by Koync half an hour from full-time. 

The best football would be seen in the final stretch through Pejiño who scored a brace to finish off affairs. His final goal would be set up by a stunning pass from Luismi, though truly, celebrations were appropriately muted. Above all, all involved made sure that the true protagonist of the evening - as it had to be - was Fran Carles. With a fine spectacle put on in his honour, Fran Carles will live forever in the memory.