On the outskirts of Madrid, Sporting de Hortaleza had travelled to Tenerife seeking a place in the Copa del Rey. Instead, the club’s visit to Atlético Güímar ended with damaged transport, fears for travelling relatives and a tie left unresolved.
A cup trip interrupted in Güímar
- Sporting de Hortaleza arrived at the Tasagaya Municipal Stadium for their Copa del Rey qualifying match against Atlético Güímar after a week in which threats had already unsettled the Madrid side.
- As the visitors’ team bus reached the ground, opposition supporters threw stones and other objects at it, damaging one of its windows.
- Security forces were deployed, but Sporting de Hortaleza concluded that the necessary conditions to play no longer existed and declined to take part in the match.
- The fixture was suspended, leaving the cup qualifier to be rescheduled or otherwise resolved at a later date.
Captain feared for his father
José Luis Llavero, Sporting de Hortaleza’s captain, said the squad were still struggling to process the scale of the incident after making the journey in pursuit of what could have been a historic opportunity for the club.
“We are saddened, and we are still carrying the shock and surprise of how far this has gone,” Llavero said.
For the captain, the concern extended beyond the pitch. After the threats received throughout the week, he had asked his father not to wear any clothing or carry anything that would identify him as a Sporting de Hortaleza supporter.
“This is not football,” Llavero said, reflecting the anger within the visiting camp as safety took precedence over the competition.
Madrid federation backs Sporting
The Real Madrid Football Federation condemned the events and offered its support to Sporting de Hortaleza. It also rejected threats and any behaviour that endangers players, coaching staff, supporters or their families.
What was meant to be a cross-island cup occasion in Güímar has therefore been put on hold, with the route to the Copa del Rey temporarily secondary to the safety of those involved.
