Spectacular Fallas event with a Centenary tribute

Valencia CF's Centenary celebrations coincide with the city's famous Fallas festival, in which elaborate mannequins are constructed in the streets for display and judged during the festivities.

On Friday, the 'El lleó de Mestalla' falla was raised -using manpower alone and without the help of a crane. A reproduction of a monument constructed in 1925 by the 'Falla Tio Pep' group, it is a project undertaken with the collaboration of Valencia CF, the VCF Foundation and the Heritage Restoration Institute of the Universitat Politècnica de València university.

Valencia CF present Anil Murthy was present at the event, along with members of the collaborators and some of the descendents of club founders Octavio Augusto Milego, Gonzalo Medina and José Llorca -plus club legend Ricardo Arias and members of the Falla Tio Pep group.

"When we began planning the Centenary, we wanted it to have ties with everyone. The Centenary is something that belongs to you, the Valencia CF fans, and you are the protagonists. We want to make it easy for you to celebrate it with the club," said the VCF President.

"This year we are going to Sevilla to play in the Copa del Rey final. We're in the quarter finals of the Europa League and we are fighting to get into next year's Champions League. We are going to celebrate a fantastic Centenary. Thank you to the Falla Tio Pep group and the Universitat Politècnica de Valencia for this monument. We will work together to make this a great Centenary."

Four 'Ninot' dolls are present on the monument, representing football, athletics and hockey teams that had won every competition that they had entered in 1924, as well as a new addition for 2019 in the form of the photographer who took the original shot, Vicente Barberà Masip.

José Luis Regidor of the UPV said that "We have put all of our passion and affection into this project, whilst Falla Tio Pep president Luis Gómez explained that "95 years ago, some Valencianistas made this wonderful falla. Now the Tio Pep falleros have managed to replicate it to celebrate Valencia CF's Centenary. We are proud to be offering our small contribution to this Centenary."