On A Day Like Today: Baraja lifts Valencia CF's seventh Copa Del Rey

On April 16th, 2008, in front of a packed Vicente Calderón stadium in Madrid, Valencia CF bested Getafe to win the Copa del Rey. The 3-1 triumph came through goals from Juan Mata, Alexis and Fernando Morientes, and provided the club with a first trophy in four years.

Winning the cup was a positive moment in a difficult season for Valencia CF, who had struggled in LaLiga. All that was put to one side when captain Rubén Baraja, alongside Carlos Marchena, lifted the trophy aloft to a roar from the fans.

Baraja still recalls Valencia CF's Copa del Rey win fondly, and remembers that reaching the final was no easy feat in itself.

"We had to beat Atletico Madrid and then FC Barcelona in the semifinals. We got into the final at maybe the worst time of our season. We weren't doing well in LaLiga. The game was held in midweek, meaning that a lot of fans couldn't attend, but the support of those at the stadium and the great game that we played -against a very good Getafe side- meant that we could make history and win our seventh Copa del Rey," he told VCF Media on the twelfth anniversary of the glorious occasion.

The starting XI that day consisted of Timo Hildebrand, Miguel Brito, Alexis, Raul Albiol, Emiliano Moretti, Baraja, Marchena, Javier Arizmendi, Mata, David Silva and David Villa, with Morientes, Marco Caneira and Edu Gaspar coming off the bench.

It would be the last trophy that Valencia CF would win until the 2019 Copa del Rey, in which they beat FC Barcelona in the final at the Benito Villamarín in Seville.