On A Day Like Today: Lubo's last goal

On June 13th, 1995, Lubo Penev scored his final goal in a Valencia CF shirt. It came in the semifinals of the Copa del Rey, against Albacete, as the forward earned the team qualification for the final of the competition.

The Bulgarian was an instant hit when he signed for the club in 1989, and came in off the back of having racked up 90 goals with CSKA Sredets in his homeland. The 23 year old was finally able to bypass bureaucracy that made it difficult for young players to leave Bulgaria, and finally arrived in September, cup tied in the UEFA Cup having featured in the competition with his former club.

The fans took to him quickly, and in his first season Valencia CF placed second in LaLiga -a feat they had not achieved since 1972. During his six campaigns at the club, he would become their ninth top scorer of all time, and was renowned for his charisma and spirit. With him onboard, they gained prestige in Europe again, and he is fondly remembered for his contributions at Mestalla.