1911 Copa del Rey

To put an end to the schism of the previous edition (which led to the celebration of two championships), the Spanish Federation accepted to hold the tournament in Vizcaya for the first time.

This tournament had 13 teams enter, but three teams withdrew before it started, and another three teams withdrew during the competition, probably a world record in a European national championship. RC Deportivo de la Coruña and Academia de Ingenieros withdrew before the draw to protest fielding foreign players in the tournament.

During the tournament, there were more protests and threats of withdrawal from some teams for this very fact. For instance, after the first round match between Athletic Bilbao and Fortuna Vigo, Real Sociedad protested the match, claiming the illegal selection of two English players in Athletic's side (Sloop and Martin), who had not been residing in Spain for the necessary time (six months) and barely spoke Spanish, and who were even suspected of being hired professionals. The Spanish FA rejected the protest and Real Sociedad immediately withdrew in protest. After the remaining teams, except the military academies, supported Real Sociedad and most of them threatened to also withdraw, Athletic decided not to use these players in their matches, but declined Fortuna Vigo's request to replay their match, which caused a general discomfort in the rest of the contenders and a feeling of comparative grievance that degenerated into more incidents and withdrawals.

In the quarterfinals, Barcelona defeated Sociedad Gimnástica 4–0, but Gimnástica challenged the match due to improper alignment of goalkeeper Luis Reñé, who had played with FC Espanya less than a month ago (thus failing to fulfill the six-month regulation). Faced with this complaint, the Spanish FA ordered a replay of the match, but Barcelona refused to do it citing the case of English players in Athletic Bilbao, so Barcelona was disqualified and Gimnástica qualified for the next round.{{Cite web |url=https://www.bdfutbol.com/en/p/p.php?id=519263 |title=Barcelona - Gimnástica Española (4 - 0) 12/04/1911 |website=www.bdfutbol.com |accessdate=10 January 2024}}

Both semifinal matches ended in withdrawals, with Sociedad Gimnástica retiring in the second half (with Athletic Bilbao leading 2–0) in a sign of protest for the referee's permissiveness in the face of the harshness of their rivals (although another version states that they only decided to end the game early to not miss the train they had to take that same day to Madrid). In the second semifinal, both teams withdrew before the game, Academia de Caballería because its players were urgently needed in their regiment while CD Español did it in solidarity with Fortuna de Vigo. The tournament was going to end in a regrettable and chaotic manner, without a final being played, but finally CD Español reconsidered their boycott stance and decided to stay in Getxo and challenge Athletic for the title in the final, losing 3–1.

This dispute was a major factor in Athletic Bilbao's decision to select only local Basque players from then on, a club policy which survived into the 21st century.{{cite news|url=http://www.lavanguardia.com/deportes/futbol/20111218/54241232095/athletic-bilbao-cien-anos-sin-extranjeros.html |title=Athletic de Bilbao, cien años sin extranjeros |trans-title=Athletic Bilbao, a hundred years without foreigners |language=es |newspaper=La Vanguardia |date=18 November 2011 |access-date=12 February 2018}}

{{football box

| date = 9 April 1911

| team1 = Athletic Bilbao

| score = 2–0

| team2 = Fortuna Vigo

| report = [https://www.bdfutbol.com/en/p/p.php?id=519260 Report]

| goals1 = Martyn Veitch {{goal|8}}
Alejandro Smith Ybarra {{goal|60}}

| goals2 =

| stadium = Josaleta Stadium, Getxo

| referee = {{flagicon|ESP|1785}} Tojo

}}

{{Cite web |url=http://www.athletic-club.eus/en/match-statistics/1_2369/1910-11_athletic-club_fortuna-vigo.html |title=Official Athletic Club Website}}

{{football box

| date = 9 April 1911

| team1 = Bilbao FC

| score = 2–1

| team2 = Academia de Artillería

| report = [https://www.bdfutbol.com/en/p/p.php?id=519260 Report]

| goals1 = Adrián Ochandiano {{goal|5||45}}

| goals2 = Luis Marañón {{goal|40}}

| stadium = Josaleta Stadium, Getxo

| referee = {{flagicon|ESP|1785}} José Berraondo (CD Español)

}}

{{football box

| date = 10 April 1911

| team1 = CD Español

| score = 6–0

| team2 = Academia de Infantería

| report = [https://www.bdfutbol.com/en/p/p.php?id=519264 Report]

| goals1 = Antonio Neyra {{goal|10||20}}
Alfredo Massana {{goal|15||30}}
Armando Giralt {{goal|35||40}}

| goals2 =

| stadium = Josaleta Stadium, Getxo

| referee = {{flagicon|ESP|1785}} Juan Arzuaga (Athletic Bilbao)

}}

{{football box

| date = 10 April 1911

| team1 = Academia de Caballería

| score = 1–0

| team2 = Santander FC

| report = [https://www.bdfutbol.com/en/p/p.php?id=519265 Report]

| goals1 = Pereda {{goal|1T|o.g.}}

| goals2 =

| stadium = Josaleta Stadium, Getxo

| referee = {{flagicon|ESP|1785}} Eduardo Moronati

}}

{{football box

| date = 12 April 1911

| team1 = FC Barcelona

| score = 4–0
{{efn|After the match, Gimnástica lodged a protest about FC Barcelona's improper alignment of goalkeeper Luis Reñé, who had played with FC Espanya less than a month ago. The Football Federation declared the match null and void and ordered a replay, but FC Barcelona refused to participate, noting that Athletic Bilbao had fielded English players; FC Barcelona was disqualified.}}

| team2 = Sociedad Gimnástica

| report = [https://www.bdfutbol.com/en/p/p.php?id=519263 Report]
{{Cite web |url=http://www.webdelcule.com/partidos/pa1910-11.html |title=Barça partidos 1910-11 |website=www.webdelcule.com |accessdate=}}

| goals1 = Percy Wallace {{goal|30||70}}
George Patullo {{goal|60}}
Francisco Baonza {{goal|80}}

| goals2 =

| stadium = Josaleta Stadium, Getxo

| referee = {{flagicon|ESP|1785}} Ramón Rodríguez

}}

{{football box

| date = 12 April 1911

| team1 = Athletic Bilbao

| score = 4–1

| team2 = Bilbao FC

| report = [https://www.bdfutbol.com/en/p/p.php?id=519262 Report]

| goals1 = Severino Zuazo {{goal|20}}
José María Belauste {{goal|40}}
Remigio Iza {{goal|50}}
Evaristo Arbaiza {{goal|60}}

| goals2 = Pichichi {{goal|70}}

| stadium = Josaleta Stadium, Getxo

| referee = {{flagicon|ENG}} Martyn Veitch

}}

{{Cite web|url=http://www.athletic-club.eus/en/match-statistics/1_2370/1910-11_athletic-club_bilbao.html|title=Official Athletic Club Website}}

{{football box

| date = 14 April 1911

| team1 = Athletic Bilbao

| score = 2–0
The match was abandoned at half-time with Athletic leading 2–0 after Sociedad Gimnástica refused to continue to protest the referee's alleged failure to penalise Athletic's foul play.

| team2 = Sociedad Gimnástica

| report = [https://www.bdfutbol.com/en/p/p.php?id=519266 Report]
{{Cite web|url=http://www.athletic-club.eus/en/match-statistics/1_2371/1910-11_athletic-club_gimnastica-espanola.html|title=Official Athletic Club Website}}

| goals1 = Martyn Veitch {{goal}}
Severino Zuazo {{goal}}

| goals2 =

| stadium = Josaleta Stadium, Getxo

| referee = {{flagicon|ENG}} Heslop

}}

{{football box

| date = 14 April 1911

| team1 = CD Español

| score = Not played
Academia de Caballería, a military team, were recalled back to their regiment; therefore, the match was scratched and CD Español advanced to the final.

| team2 = Academia de Caballería

| stadium = Josaleta Stadium, Getxo

}}

{{main article|1911 Copa del Rey Final}}

{{football box

| date = 15 April 1911

| team1 = Athletic Bilbao

| score = 3–1

| report = [https://www.bdfutbol.com/en/p/p.php?id=519267 Report]

| team2 = CD Español

| goals1 = Martyn Veitch {{goal|10}}
Luis Belaunde {{goal|20}}
Manuel Guernica {{goal|50}}

| goals2 = Antonio Neyra {{goal|70}}

| stadium = Josaleta Stadium, Getxo

| attendance =

| referee = {{flagicon|ENG}} Scott Martyr

}}

{{Cite web|url=http://www.athletic-club.eus/en/match-statistics/1_2372/1910-11_athletic-club_rcd-espanyol.html |title=Official Athletic Club Website}}

{{notelist}}

{{reflist|30em}}

• {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20030910160323/http://www.linguasport.com/futbol/nacional/copa/Copa11.htm LinguaSport.com]}}
• [https://www.rsssf.org/tabless/spancup1911.html RSSSF.com]

{{Copa del Rey seasons}}

{{1910–11 in European football (UEFA)}}

{{1911–12 in European football (UEFA)}}

{{Portal bar|Association football|Spain}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Copa Del Rey 1911}}

1911

Category:1911 domestic association football cups

Category:1910–11 in Spanish football