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Albacete Balompié

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Albacete Balompié
Full nameAlbacete Balompié, S.A.D.
Nickname(s)Queso Mecánico
(Clockwork Cheese)
Alba
Founded5 July 1939; 85 years ago (5 July 1939) (as Albacete Foot-ball Association)
GroundEstadio Carlos Belmonte
Capacity17,524[1]
OwnerSkyline International
PresidentGeorges Kabchi
Head coachAlberto González
LeagueSegunda División
2023–24Segunda División, 13th of 22
Websitewww.albacetebalompie.es
Current season

Albacete Balompié is a Spanish football team based in Albacete, in the autonomous community of Castile–La Mancha. Founded on 5 July 1939, it currently plays in Segunda División, the second tier of Spanish football, holding home matches at Estadio Carlos Belmonte, with a capacity of 17,524.[2]

History

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Chart of Albacete Balompié league performance 1929–present

This team is from Albacete a city in Castilla-La Mancha. After years of amateur and regional development of football, it would not appear formally until the end of the Spanish Civil War. The club was founded in 1939 under the name Albacete Foot-ball Association, being later changed in an attempt to make it sound "more Spanish". At the [clarification needed] second division in 1985–86, repeating the feat five seasons later.

In 1989, Benito Floro consecutively promoted the club from the third division to La Liga, overachieving for a seventh place in the first season in the top level. Floro would later coach Real Madrid, returning to Alba two seasons later as the club was relegated in 1995–96.

After years in the second division facing serious economic and sporting difficulties, Albacete returned to the top flight in the 2002–03 campaign, led by César Ferrando (later of Atlético Madrid). However, Albacete dropped in 2004–05 after posting just 6 wins from 38 matches, going on to stabilize in the subsequent seasons in the second level.

The 2010–11 season brought two coaching changes, with both Antonio Calderón and David Vidal (who returned to the club only a few months after leaving) being fired, as Albacete returned to the third division after 21 years. That season the club finished last in Segunda División with only 32 points in 42 matches.[3] On 6 December 2011, Andrés Iniesta – who played for the club in his youth before joining Barcelona – became the club's major shareholder, donating 420,000 to the cash-strapped club.[4] The club managed to reach the round of 16 of the 2011–12 Copa del Rey, notably beating Atlético Madrid 3–1 on aggregate.[5]

In March 2013, Agustín Lázaro, chief executive officer (CEO) of Andrés Iniesta's winery enterprise, was appointed as Albacete's chairman.[6] In June, Iniesta loaned the club a further €240,000 to cover unpaid wages, thus preventing its administrative relegation to the fourth tier.[7]

In 2014, Albacete returned to the Segunda División, but was relegated two seasons later after finishing the season in the 21st position. The club again returned to the Segunda División in the 2016–17 season after winning against Valencia Mestalla in the last round of the promotion play-offs. Albacete finished the 2018–19 season in 4th position of the Segunda División, but then lost to RCD Mallorca in the La Liga play-offs and remained in Segunda División for the 2019–20 season.[8] On next season, Albacete finished last in second division and were relegated to the third division. Thus ending their four-years stay in the second division.

Albacete were promoted to Segunda in the 2021–22 Primera RFEF season playoffs, after defeating Deportivo de La Coruña at the Estadio Riazor. The team came back from a 1–0 deficit, winning 2-1 with a goal in extra time.[9]

Seasons

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Albacete Balompié "Andrés Iniesta" sports city.
Ciudad de Albacete trophy 1994.

Season to season

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Season Tier Division Place Copa del Rey
1940–41 4 1ª Reg. 3rd
1941–42 3 1ª Reg. 4th
1942–43 3 1ª Reg. 2nd
1943–44 3 2nd
1944–45 3 3rd
1945–46 3 1st
1946–47 3 1st
1947–48 3 3rd
1948–49 3 1st
1949–50 2 7th
1950–51 2 15th
1951–52 DNP
1952–53 3 3rd
1953–54 3 13th
1954–55 3 7th
1955–56 3 9th
1956–57 3 5th
1957–58 3 5th
1958–59 3 1st
1959–60 3 4th
Season Tier Division Place Copa del Rey
1960–61 3 1st
1961–62 2 13th
1962–63 3 4th
1963–64 3 1st
1964–65 3 1st
1965–66 3 3rd
1966–67 3 2nd
1967–68 3 4th
1968–69 3 8th
1969–70 3 14th
1970–71 4 1ª Reg. 7th
1971–72 4 Reg. Pref. 6th
1972–73 4 Reg. Pref. 14th
1973–74 4 Reg. Pref. 7th
1974–75 4 Reg. Pref. 1st
1975–76 3 17th
1976–77 4 Reg. Pref. 2nd
1977–78 4 2nd
1978–79 4 2nd
1979–80 4 2nd
Season Tier Division Place Copa del Rey
1980–81 4 2nd
1981–82 4 1st
1982–83 3 2ª B 3rd
1983–84 3 2ª B 5th
1984–85 3 2ª B 2nd
1985–86 2 17th
1986–87 3 2ª B 17th
1987–88 3 2ª B 3rd
1988–89 3 2ª B 12th
1989–90 3 2ª B 1st
1990–91 2 1st
1991–92 1 7th
1992–93 1 17th Round of 16
1993–94 1 13th Fourth round
1994–95 1 17th Semifinals
1995–96 1 20th First round
1996–97 2 4th Second round
1997–98 2 14th Second round
1998–99 2 15th Second round
1999–2000 2 10th Second round
Season Tier Division Place Copa del Rey
2000–01 2 5th Round of 64
2001–02 2 10th Round of 32
2002–03 2 3rd Round of 64
2003–04 1 14th Round of 64
2004–05 1 20th Round of 32
2005–06 2 13th Third round
2006–07 2 6th Second round
2007–08 2 12th Third round
2008–09 2 15th Third round
2009–10 2 15th Second round
2010–11 2 22nd Second round
2011–12 3 2ª B 4th Round of 16
2012–13 3 2ª B 3rd Second round
2013–14 3 2ª B 1st Second round
2014–15 2 14th Round of 32
2015–16 2 21st Second round
2016–17 3 2ª B 1st Third round
2017–18 2 17th Second round
2018–19 2 4th Second round
2019–20 2 17th Second round
Season Tier Division Place Copa del Rey
2020–21 2 22nd First round
2021–22 3 1ª RFEF 3rd Second round
2022–23 2 6th Second round
2023–24 2 13th First round
2024–25 2

Current squad

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As of 5 December 2024[10]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Spain ESP Cristian Rivero (on loan from Valencia)
2 DF Spain ESP Álvaro Rodríguez (3rd captain)
3 DF Spain ESP Juan María Alcedo
4 MF Spain ESP Agus Medina
5 DF Spain ESP Juan Antonio Ros
6 MF Spain ESP Rai Marchán (4th captain)
7 FW Spain ESP Juanma García
8 MF Spain ESP Riki Rodríguez (captain)
9 FW Spain ESP Higinio Marín (vice-captain)
10 FW Spain ESP Fidel
11 FW Spain ESP José Carlos Lazo
13 GK Spain ESP Raúl Lizoain
No. Pos. Nation Player
14 DF Spain ESP Jon García
15 FW Morocco MAR Nabil Touaizi
16 DF Spain ESP Diego González
17 MF Spain ESP Ale Meléndez
18 MF Spain ESP Javi Villar
20 MF Spain ESP Antonio Pacheco
21 FW Spain ESP Alberto Quiles
22 FW Spain ESP Jon Morcillo
24 DF Spain ESP Jaume Costa
27 DF Spain ESP Lalo Aguilar (on loan from Leganés)
29 DF Spain ESP Javi Rueda (on loan from Celta)
DF Spain ESP Pepe Sánchez

Reserve team

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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
28 FW Spain ESP Joan Pulpón
30 GK Spain ESP Mario Ramos
31 FW Spain ESP Alex Willy
32 MF Spain ESP Eduardo de la Casa
No. Pos. Nation Player
33 MF Spain ESP Neco Rubayo
34 FW Spain ESP Marcos Moreno
36 MF Spain ESP Capi

Out on loan

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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
FW Spain ESP Dani Escriche (at Cartagena until 30 June 2025)
FW Venezuela VEN Jovanny Bolívar (at Kolos Kovalivka until 30 June 2025)

Current technical staff

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Position Staff
Head coach Spain Alberto González
Assistant coach Spain Enrique González
Goalkeeping coach Spain Carlos Cano
Fitness coach Spain Juanjo Rico
Technical assistant Spain Salva Todolí
Delegate Spain José Manuel León
Match delegate Spain Borja Longueira
Kit man Spain Alberto Rodenas
Spain Cristian Martínez
Doctor Spain Javier Soro
Rehab fitness coach Spain Sergio García
Physiotherapist Spain Germán Schwarz
Spain Juanfer Pardo
Spain Pablo Ruiz
Nutritionist Spain Ángel Moreno

Last updated: 20 November 2024
Source: Albacete Balompié (in Spanish)

Honours

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Stadium

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Estadio Carlos Belmonte

The club plays its home matches at the Estadio Carlos Belmonte, which has an all-seated capacity of 17,524. Originally built in 1960, the stadium underwent two major redevelopments, the last being in 1998.

International players

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Famous coaches

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Cope.es (16 June 2019). "Mallorca – Deportivo, final del play off de ascenso a Primera". COPE (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  2. ^ "Estadio Carlos Belmonte – Albacete Stadium Guide". Football Tripper. 16 August 2014. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  3. ^ "Histórico Albacete – Segunda División". resultados-futbol.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  4. ^ "Iniesta throws 420,000-euro lifeline to indebted Albacete". El País. 6 December 2011. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  5. ^ Manzano sacked by Atletico Archived 29 July 2012 at archive.today; ESPN Star Sports, 23 December 2011
  6. ^ Agustín Lázaro, gerente de Bodegas Iniesta, nuevo presidente del Albacete Balompié (Agustín Lázaro, Iniesta Winery manager, new president of Albacete Balompié); ABC, 5 March 2013 (in Spanish)
  7. ^ "Iniesta loans Albacete 240,000 euros to prevent relegation". as.com. EFE. 28 June 2013. Archived from the original on 14 May 2014. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
  8. ^ "La historia del Club". Albacete Balompié (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  9. ^ "El Albacete vuelve a Segunda tras remontar al Deportivo de La Coruña en Riazor (1-2)". Diario de Sevilla. 11 June 2022.
  10. ^ "Plantilla" (in Spanish). Albacete Balompié. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
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