Sevilla kick off centenary celebrations
Friday, October 14, 2005
Article summary
Sevilla FC are celebrating their 100th birthday with a host of events planned for the weekend, culminating in Sunday's game at Athletic Club Bilbao.
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Century completed
Sevilla were founded on 14 October 1905, becoming the southern city's third team after Balompié and eternal rivals Real Betis. The latter two clubs would merge to form Real Betis Balompié. Sevilla played regional football in Andalusia for almost three decades before entering the first division for the first time in 1934, finishing a respectable fifth.
League champions
Since then, they have won the Primera División title once, in 1945/46, and the Copa del Rey three times (1935, 1939 and 1948). The centenary precedes Sevilla's second successive participation in the UEFA Cup group stage, which for Juande Ramos's team begins on 3 November. Their achievements will be marked by a bullfight on Saturday in Moron de la Frontera and a fun run in the city on Sunday, hours before the side take to the field in Bilbao with the hope of improving on their 15th placing in the league.