Ana García Romero Sevilla

Seville

Updated Monday, March 25, 2024-21:38

  • Football Manuel Ruiz de Lopera, inimitable president of Betis, dies

Manuel Ruiz de Lopera was

so

devoted to the

Lord of the Great Power

that he is in different corners of what was always his home, on Jabugo Street in Seville, in

the Fontanal neighborhood.

A large painting presides over

the main staircase;

another, his meeting room. In addition to images and other memories of the Christ of him. Now, who was president of Real Betis Balompié from 1996 to 2006, he is already face to face with the Lord of Seville.

Manuel Ruiz de Lopera died this Sunday at his home in the Andalusian capital,

at the age of 79

, due to

diverticulitis

that had been giving him problems for some time. He had just been admitted to the ICU of the Santa Isabel clinic to be treated, and was subsequently transferred to his home, where he already died.

Lopera

was born in Seville

on August 13, 1944, into a family in which

18 siblings were born;

12 of them died; Manuel was the

youngest

of all of them.

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He began

selling household appliances

and soon met the

woman of his life, Isabel López Pérez,

whom he married in 1964 when he was only 20 years old. And with the joy that his team had just won the Cadiz Carranza Trophy that year, in which he had competed against Boca Juniors, Real Madrid and Benfica, which he faced in the final.

Bética

also had to be Isabel - from the town of Fuentes de Andalucía - and a great fan; She

understood soccer

and went to the field, to the Benito Villamarín stadium, to see the team she loved.

Although

he studied to be a civil engineer

, Manolo, a very early riser,

prayed while walking around his house

when he got up, and had a good head for business. After the appliances, he became

a lender

, being able to live off the rents of the premises with which he was left as a result of these efforts.

He did so well that he became the

majority shareholder of Real Betis

Balompié, with his company Farusa. By then, Manolo became "Don Manué." And with him, Betis was able to play in the Champions League, although it also had

its bad moments

when the team went down to the Second Division.

Lopera, in 97.EFE

He had his

fans and his detractors

- sometimes almost enemies - but without a doubt he was a

character

who did not go unnoticed. Influential in Seville and a very believer, he had another happy moment when

he served as King Baltasar

in the Three Kings Parade in Seville in 1993.

During Holy Week

he did not miss the early morning hours on the balcony of his house on Sierpes Street and always asked the Lord of the Great Power for his Betis. He always wears the Betis and the Lord of Seville pins on his lapels. And with the pockets of his jacket full of

pictures of different Christs and Virgins

of whom he was very devoted.

In his house, to which he moved the Betis offices during his mandate, he had

built theaters,

through which some of his favorite artists - and friends - passed, such as

Manolo Escobar or Bigote Arrocet.

At the wedding of Joaquín and Susana Saborido.GTRES

Nor did he go unnoticed

at Joaquín Sánchez's wedding,

to which he brought the Copa del Rey won by the club so that the bride and groom could be photographed with the trophy. Or when

he showed up at a Halloween party

hosted by the players he signed up. Also, when he went down in history for signing Denilson, who was then the most expensive player in Spanish football.

His appearances were always notable, like when, almost

shouting

, with his unmistakable voice, he promised his fans that he was going to turn Betis

into the best team in the world.

The marriage of Manuel Ruiz de Lopera and Isabel

had no children,

but "Don Manué" had a

favorite nephew,

Javier Páez Ruiz de Lopera, who helped him with the management of his businesses.

Some businesses that, in his relationship with Betis, gave him problems.

He was convicted of a crime against the Public Treasury

for fiscal irregularities in 1996 and 1997 in his management of the Sevillian club.

Despite everything, his love for his club remained unbreakable: he recently stated that "he would not return to Betis, but if he needed me, Don Manuel would be here to

lend him the money he needed."