Levante UD-Athletic Club, memory of a historic Copa del Rey semifinal from the 2020-2021 season

The Historical Heritage Area of the club has prepared a special exhibition in the VIP box on the occasion of the match between Levante UD and Athletic Club. The exhibition relives one of the most intense and emotional nights in recent granota history: the semifinals of the 2020-2021 Copa del Rey season when Levante came close to the Copa final.

Semifinals marked by COVID

That match, decided over two legs, was deeply affected by the pandemic. Health restrictions prevented the presence of fans at a time when the granota supporters most wanted to be there. The Orriols coliseum, usually a cauldron on big nights, offered a silence as strange as it was painful. The “legal imperative” of COVID left thousands of Levante fans out, who had to follow the most crucial event of the decade from their homes.

The excitement sparked by a goal from Roger

Levante arrived at the second leg with a valuable draw achieved at San Mamés (1-1). The stage, despite the absence of fans, was perfect for dreaming. And the dream took shape very quickly: a goal by Roger Martí in the first half virtually placed the granota team in the final. For a few minutes, Levante was a finalist in the Copa del Rey. Paco López's team came close to a historic feat, but its memory endures in the collective memory of the club.

Athletic's reaction and the bitter outcome

However, Athletic Club, a specialist in the cup format, managed to turn the tie around. A penalty converted by Raúl García leveled the aggregate score and sent the semifinal into extra time. In extra time, a second goal by the Bilbao team extinguished Levante's dream. The final 1-2 left a bitter taste. The Orriols team had competed with honesty and pride against one of the giants of the Copa.

The pieces that preserve the memory

The exhibition prepared for this league matchday brings together some of the objects that were part of that historic semifinal. Notable is the official ball used in the match, a direct witness to the emotions of a night that, although without fans, remains in the imagination of Levante's memory.

Also on display is Roger Martí's jersey, the scorer of the goal that kept the dream alive for part of the match. Alongside it, the pennants exchanged between Levante and Athletic in the two matches of the tie, pieces loaded with symbolism and the ritual of football.

Accreditations and memories of an unrepeatable event

The tour is completed with various official accreditations used by players, coaches, and club staff in that semifinal marked by strict protocols and health controls. These are documents that today, beyond their practical function, serve as a reminder of an exceptional context that shaped one of the most important episodes in the recent history of Levante UD.