Last update September 13, 2020 by Javier Argudo
The rivalry between Levante and Valencia It has existed for many years. It is true that granota set has always been regarded as the brother poor and helpless by their citizen rival and has been in recent years when the club Orriols has been equilibrating forces with the presence in the first division and growth social and economic level that had never had.
But nevertheless, The pique between both clubs is long and shows the story we tell you today. ran the season 1958-1959 when the Levante He is seeking his first promotion to the top flight of Spanish football for the first time in its history. For this promotion should play a double game against the UD Las Palmas but, unfortunately for granotas, and the canaries were victorious Barca team remained in second.
In addition to the disappointment of not winning promotion craved, fans granotas They had to endure the taunts of their neighbors. Some of them decided to go further and made a grisly act that made history.
They came in the night to the old Vallejo field (Levante Stadium) and they left a dead cat under a palm tree that was at the entrance of the Levantine feud with the following message: “When the cat climbs the palm tree, Levante will be in first place”.
RISE OF THE FIRST LEVANTE
The event was hailed as a great offense by the granota parish but far from flinching, fans took that cat as a symbol. Four years later, In the season 1962-1963, Levante won his first promotion to First after winning promotion to Deportivo La Coruna.
Of course, fans rushed to put a cat (on this occasion cardboard) uploaded to the palm with another sign saying: “The cat has already climbed the palm tree and Levante is in First”.
One more example of rivalry Levante and Valencia (which he served as a 'revenge') was when granota fans held a symbolic funeral when his rival descended to Second Division.
