If there’s a team that can boldly dream of a Spanish Cup, it’s Jaén Paraíso Interior. The cup tournament has been their stronghold. Since they clinched their first victory as debutants in 2015. Success followed in 2018 in Madrid and again in 2023 in Granada. The reigning champion kicks off their title defense in Cartagena against Quesos El Hidalgo Manzanares. In the third quarterfinal match, scheduled for this Friday at 7:00 p.m., preceding the derby between hosts Jimbee Cartagena and ElPozo Murcia Costa Calida at 9:30 p.m.
Achieving a Cup quadruple would propel Jaén Paraíso beyond Caja Segovia. Placing them alongside ElPozo Murcia with four titles, second only to the most successful teams, Movistar Inter with 11 titles and Barça with 6. Dani Rodríguez, coach of the Andalusian team, stated, “I’m unsure if we can consider ourselves favorites. Every team heading to Cartagena has faced moments of weakness in the league.”
Despite clinching the tournament three times in the last nine years, the Jaén coach remains grounded in humility.
“We approach this season with the same enthusiasm as previous ones, bearing in mind that the Cup is a different ball game—it’s the first step where we must showcase our abilities and leave nothing behind to secure a spot in the semifinals,” Rodríguez affirmed. “Being the reigning champions doesn’t grant us any advantages in this edition.”
With a treble under their belt, Jaén Paraíso Interior stands as the only team challenging the dominance of Inter (4) and Barça (3) in the tournament over the past decade. Having defeated the Madrid side in the final last season (3-1), Dani Rodríguez emphasized, “We vividly recall our experience in Granada because our squad hasn’t significantly changed from last year, and those sentiments drive us to maintain our usual level of competitiveness.” Before contemplating a fourth Spanish Cup, Rodríguez stressed, “Overcoming the first match is crucial—it’s the gateway to the competition, paving the way to the final and the title.”
The current champions aim to leverage their tournament experience.
But remain wary of any lapses, as seen in recent games, especially against debutants like El Hidalgo Manzanares Cheeses. “They boast excellent players who will undoubtedly push us to our limits during the full 40 minutes,” Rodríguez concluded.
Quesos El Hidalgo Manzanares is the lone debutant in the Spanish Cup in Cartagena. Their coach, Juanlu Alonso, previously tasted victory with Inter in 2009. Now, 15 years later, he leads “the underdog of the tournament. We’re the rookies, and they’re the reigning champions. Once on the court, our sole focus is victory—we’re ambitious and eager to win. Enthusiasm defines our approach to this Cup, which is our trump card. We feel less pressure than our opponents and believe we can defeat anyone in a single game. However, objectively speaking, Jaén holds the upper hand as favorites.”