From national joke to cult hero - why Hugo Duro is no longer a Valencia laughing stock

Hugo Duro became a Valencia hero more than two years before he even played for the La Liga club.

His name was printed on banners and T-shirts and sung by Valencia fans for his part in one of the most dramatic finishes Spanish football has ever seen

But, back then, Duro was a cult hero for all the wrong reasons. He was a figure of fun, laughed at by the club's players and fans alike.

Now, as Los Che travel to Athletic Bilbao for the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg on Thursday, the 22-year-old striker is a Valencia player and surely fated to play a central part after a truth-stranger-than-fiction series of events.

The story starts in January 2019, when Valencia hosted Getafe for the second leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final showdown.

Getafe were cruising into the final. Having won the first leg 1-0, an early opener from Jorge Molina in the second leg gave them control of the tie despite a second-half equaliser from Rodrigo Moreno (now of Leeds United).

The 1-1 scoreline on the night, with away goal advantage held by Getafe, meant that Valencia needed two goals in stoppage time. Their hopes were boosted when Rodrigo netted his second of the game in the 92nd minute.

Within seconds of the restart, though, Molina raced clear. His shot from 15 yards was powerful and on target, looking beyond the dive of the Valencia keeper. But it was somehow blocked inside the six-yard box by Molina's own teammate, teenage substitute Duro, who just couldn't get out of the way as the ball crashed against his back.

The rebound fell kindly for Valencia who immediately broke downfield to release Kevin Gameiro on the right flank, and his pinpoint cross was converted from close range by Rodrigo, completing his hat-trick with two injury-time goals in