Albacete Balompié

Albacete Balompie is a football club from the city of Albacete in the eponymous province in Spain. The club is now one of almost a fixture in the Segunda División, the second division in Spain and had its heyday in the early 1990s, when you look División could lay down for half a decade in the Primera.

History

The club Albacete Balompié was founded on 1 August 1940 and managed just nine years after its founding, the short-term rise in the Segunda División, until he disappeared into oblivion for a long time. Again talked about only made ​​the club then in the years between 1989 and 1996. Was then that they managed first direct walkover of the third highest division, the Segunda División B, in the excellence of the Primera División. The second league championship in 1991 was followed by an equally remarkable 7th place in the upper house of Spanish football in the following year. The father of success, coach Benito Floro, who had understood it, a working collective to its star, the playmaker Jose Luis Zalazar build, was recruited in the following season by none other than club Real Madrid. Since then played Alba, like the loyal followers call the team, only División a subordinate role in the Primera, but was still four years long preserve its excellence.

An exodus of great talent, including Fernando Morientes, who still responsible for the tight relegation recorded in the 1994/95 season, but led ultimately to the fact that the club in 1996 but again had to make their way in the second division. There, too, scored Alba after just missing out on direct re-emergence in 1997 only middling results and had just as you come to terms so slow with the mediocrity nor the team succeeded but another rise in 2003. Was followed by a further two years in the first division before the club relegated again in 2005. Since then, Alba looks in a favorite role that you could not meet in the season 2005 /06, however, when you had to make do with rank 13. Since relegation to the third division after the 2010/11 season, the club is struggling with financial problems. On December 8, 2011 it was announced that Andres Iniesta, who played up to the age of 12 at Albacete Balompié, bought 7000 shares worth € 420,000. This makes him the majority shareholder. President Rafael Candell also confirmed that Iniesta's father was appointed to the Supervisory Board and should be eventually appointed vice - president. In addition, the training ground of the club is named after Iniesta.

Well-known former players and coaches

Goalkeeper Manuel Almunia, Ronny Gaspercic, José Francisco Molina, Carlos Roa

Defender Rafael Coco, Delfí Geli, Pablo Ibáñez, Fernando Navarro, Santi Denía, Aitor Ocio

Midfielder Emmanuel Amunike, Nenad Bjelica, Marco Etcheverry, Oscar García, Mark González, Iván Helguera, Catalin Munteanu, José Luis Zalazar Antonio Velamazán, Jaime Sanchez, Juanito Rodriguez, Andrés Iniesta

Attacker Fernando Morientes, Ismael Urzaiz, Javi Guerrero, Antonio Pinilla, Pedro Corbalan, Antonio Pacheco

Coach

• Spain Benito Floro
• Spain César Ferrando
• Uruguay Víctor Espárrago
• Spain Julián Rubio
• Spain Mariano Garcia Remon ( 1996-97)