RCD Mallorca, the only club to have won their first cup trophy in the 21st century

Next year we will have already lived through the first quarter of the 21st century and if anyone should think of painting it in terms of the Copa del Rey, the colour chosen should be Mallorcan red.

This is so as RCD Mallorca have the honour of being the only club to have lifted the best trophy in Spanish football for the first time in this century, even though half a dozen clubs (RC Celta de Vigo, RC Recreativo de Huelva, CA Osasuna, Getafe CF, Deportivo Alavés and the Balearics themselves) have been able to give themselves a chance by getting to finals this century.

Mallorca finally achieved success on 28 June 2003 on the Martínez Valero pitch in Elche in a final in which Walter Pandiani scored, Samuel Eto'o shone and captain Miguel Ángel Nadal collected a trophy that twelve years earlier had been denied him at the Bernabéu against At. Madrid in the first final contested by the Mallorcans.

Apart from that debut win with Lorenzo Serra Ferrer in the dugout, Héctor Cúper was given the responsibility of managing the islanders in the 1998 final, which they lost to Louis Van Gaal's FC Barcelona in a penalty shoot-out.

Finally, it was Gregorio Manzano who won the Cup 21 years ago for Mallorca. This Saturday, with Javier Aguirre at the helm, they will be looking for their second title in a competition in which they have always been there or thereabouts over the last four decades.

RCD MALLORCA CUP FINALS