Valencia have secured their place in Europe next season by beating last year's beaten finalists, Getafe, 3-1 in the final of the Copa del Rey (King's Cup) at the Vicente Calderón stadium in Madrid last night. It is a rare bright spot in a miserable season that has seen the east coasters drift into the relegation battle after three consecutive league defeats.

Mata (photo, left) opened the scoring as early as the 4th minute, heading home Silva's cross after a neat exchange of passes with David Villa and Alexis (photo, right) doubled the lead six minutes later, also with his head, from a corner this time.

Getafe were thrown a lifeline on the stroke of half-time when the referee awarded a penalty for a foul on Contra, which Granero converted.

The hard fought battle - there were ten yellow cards and one late red one (for Getafe's Celestini) - continued after the break when Getafe created at least three clear chances to level the scores, but a Fernando Morientes strike six minutes from time sealed a seventh Copa del Rey title for Valencia, and will ease at least some of the growing pressure on their increasingly under-fire Dutch coach.