Real Betis crowned kings of Seville again after winning the wildest of all derbies | Sid Lowe

An incredible 5-3 win on Kings Night that will be remembered for years ended Sevilla’s unbeaten home run and sparked a Betis party that would run and run

There was a brief glint in the eye of everybody’s favourite cheeky scamp but for once he kept a straight face. Joaquín Sánchez had been talking about how happy he was – and happiness, he said, is fundamental – leaving just enough time for one more question as he stood there, post-match microphone pointing his way. It began with “now you rest” and it was ended there with a shake of the head, cut off quickly. It was late and they were exhausted but he was having none of it; although midnight had come, the night had only just begun. “There will be no rest tonight,” Betis’s captain shot back, deadpan. “Anyone who gets home before five in the morning gets fined.” And with that, he was gone again. Back to the party.

Related: Philippe Coutinho starts new era as Barcelona prepare for life after Iniesta

Continue reading...