SEVILLA
Stadiums
Between 1983 and 1995, the national team played nearly every home game in Seville, either at Betis or Sevilla. The tradition began following the 12-1 thrashing of Malta in the Euro 1984 qualifiers that put Spain in the finals instead of Holland by virtue of having scored more goals. The city achieved talismanic status as the team won 20 of their next 23 qualifying matches there. But in the mid-1990s, the FA decided to use stadiums around the country to stage Spain games.
Betis’ renovated Manuel Ruiz de Lopera stadium, the former Benito Villamarin, stands in the working-class district of Heliopolis, south of the city centre. It is named after the club owner, who has plans to increase capacity from 52,000 to 65,000 by knocking down the south stand and expanding. To get there, catch the 34 or 35 bus from the Plaza Nueva in central Seville. Bars line Calle Reina Mercedes and Calle Terejo on the way to the ground; the tiny Bodeguita Castulo is the most popular. For ticket information, visit the official site .
Sevilla’s home, the Sanchez Pizjuan, is named after a former club president and holds 45,000. Its most celebrated match was the epic 1982 World Cup semi-final between West Germany and France. It is expansive enough to feel grand but intimate enough to generate a real atmosphere. Home fans, the Biri-Biri, occupy both ends; the north is the most fervent. Buses 21 and 23 run from Plaza Nueva, 32 via Santa Justa train station. The streets parallel to the main drag Eduardo Dato opposite the stadium are full of bars; the Al Relente at
c/Aznalcazar 6 has great old photos on the walls. For tickets, log on to the official site .
The Olympic stadium on La Cartuja holds nearly 58,000 and occasionally stages internationals. It was built in the late 1990s
as part of the city’s unsuccessful bid to host the 2004 Olympics. It is easiest to reach by taxi from the city centre.
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