Ontiñena prepares for a historic match. The small Aragonese town, with just over 500 inhabitants, is getting ready for its own ‘Cup night’ against Las Palmas, a first division team that visits the club that represents the smallest village that has ever competed in the Copa del King.
This honor, previously held by the 700 residents of Becerril de Campos, is felt in the streets and especially during social hours in the local bars. “It’s an incredible day for the town, something we’ve never seen before. The tickets are sold out, and if they had released 1,000 more, they would have been sold out too,” say Emilio and Ramón, residents of Ontiñena who will travel to nearby Monzón, just half an hour by car, to live your sports dream.
Emilio and Ramón, inhabitants of Ontiñena
“We played for the club many years ago, so you can imagine what it means to see them play against a First Division team. It’s indescribable. And just so you know, we haven’t lost a game this season…” dreams Emilio, who affirms that He was once the goalkeeper of ‘Onti’.
As the Football-focused conversations continue, Cisse, a player from Ontiñena, arrives for coffee on the morning of the most important game of his life. “I care a lot about this boy, and my grandson even more,” Antonio confesses before making a mischievous comment born from the town’s euphoric soccer atmosphere: “If you score tonight, dinner is on me,” a plan that the soccer player he accepted happily with a smile. “They treat me exceptionally here,” he admitted.
Despite the excitement of the town, the people of Ontin must travel to Monzón, “because our field only met two of the 38 requirements established by the Spanish Football Federation to be able to use it,” they share. The Balsal, a local fortress where rivals fall every Sunday – Ontiñena has yet to lose in the league – has no fence, just a row of seats, and the ‘bald patches’ of the regional Aragonese league cover a field that “has seen Better days, but you know what winter can be like…”
Virtually the entire town heads to Monzón, with about 250 of the just over 500 residents being members of the club. “We always experience local football with great emotion. It’s our team, and we support them when they do well and when they don’t do so well,” says Emilio, before inviting us to a couple of drinks. “By MARCA!” he exclaims with a smile.
Emilio, resident of Ontiñena
“My son is one of the captains, and we cried together after the game,” says Emilio, emotionally. “That joy… is what we will treasure. It was… inexplicable,” he reflects. The Cup is special, and in Ontiñena they value it like no one else.
Cisse is one of the most beloved players in a town that has made history in the Copa del Rey.
The Ontiñena player, who joined the club last season, still thinks that facing Las Palmas in the Cup is like a dream come true. “I can’t even express my emotions. I haven’t even thought about whether we can win this game because I never thought this day would come,” he admits.
