Sevilla

Sevilla Football Club, also known as Sevilla Fútbol Club, is a Spanish professional football club based in Seville, southern Spain. It was formed on 10 March 1901 by a group of students of the Royal School of Naval Engineering, and played its first competitive match in 1902. Sevilla have played in the top division of Spanish football every season since the 1928–29 season, except for two seasons in the Second Division. The club has reached the UEFA Champions League final twice, in 2006 and 2007, winning the competition in 2006. Sevilla also reached the final of the UEFA Cup in 1994, which they lost 2–1 to Valencia. Sevilla play their home matches at the 55,594-seat Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium. Sevilla FC was founded on March 10, 1901 by a group of students of the Royal School of Naval Engineering, with the aim of promoting the sport of football among the students of the school. Sevilla first competed in the 1902 season of the Copa del Rey, where they finished as runners-up. Sevilla entered the European Cup in the 1955–56 season, and reached the quarter-finals. In the following season they reached the semi-finals, where they lost to Feyenoord Rotterdam. Sevilla competed in the European Cup every season from 1957 to 1978, reaching the quarter-finals in 1966 and the semi-finals in 1971. Sevilla also reached the final of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1963. The club played its first game in the Segunda División on 12 August 1928 against Arenas Club de Getxo, winning 3–1. Sevilla won promotion to the first division in 1931. The club played its first game in the La Liga on 28 August 1936 against Atlético Madrid, losing 1–0. Sevilla played in the Spanish Cup every season from 1946 to 1955, reaching the final in 1946. Sevilla reached the final of the European Cup in 1957, losing to Barcelona. Sevilla reached the final of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1963, losing to Eintracht Frankfurt. Sevilla reached the European Cup Winners’ Cup final in 1974, where they lost to Feyenoord Rotterdam. Sevilla reached the UEFA Cup final in 2006, where they lost 2–1 to Valencia. Sevilla also reached the final of the UEFA Cup in 2007, where they lost 2–1 to Atlético Madrid. The referee in the 2006 final, Ángel Ramos, was banned for life by UEFA for handling of the match that resulted in the winner, FC Barcelona, receiving a standing ovation from the crowd after his sending-off. Sevilla were fined €30,000 and given a suspended European ban for two years for falsely reporting Ventaja as disqualified after the home team’s players allegedly refused to warm up. Sevilla were also given a three-point deduction