Primera RFEF: Season Preview

The Spanish third tier is known as the well and plenty of historic sides are trying to climb out of it in a real melting pot of a league.

Imagine every season a league of 40 teams where 14 of them are recently arrived and have to split themselves into two groups of 20 geographically in a country as big and as diverse as Spain.

Not only that but you have a real melting pot of sides, from teams such as Hercules, Tenerife and Real Murcia who have big pedigrees in the top two tiers to sides such as Teruel and Juventud Torremolinos trying to make their way up and establish themselves in the third tier.

This years geographical split is a west side and a east side with Tenerife having better flight connections to regions such as Galicia which this season will have six representatives in the third tier. While regional is meant to mean less travel sides such as Sabadell and Europa will face 1200km trips to Andalucia and vice versa.

The third tier is most importantly a real breeding ground for talent to develop both coaches and players. Gonzalo Garcia who caught the eye at the CWC for Real Madrid scored 25 goals in Primera RFEF last season but also players such as Carlos Vicente, Yeremay, David Mella and Christantus Uche who have been linked with big money moves have all come through the league.

Teams are increasingly realising talent is in the third tier and clubs such as Getafe, Castellon and Cordoba are recruiting in the third tier looking to find the next star. Players come and go at this level and many squads live season to season with it not being unusual to see 20+ signings and 20+ departures for teams.

Four La Liga coaches in Xabi Alonso, Eder Sarabia, Sergio Francisco and Claudio Giraldez have been in the third tier in the last five years.

Before we head into the two group previews it’s important to point out, one team on both sides goes up automatically, second to fifth on both sides then go into the play-offs group 1 against group 2 in the semi finals. Last season saw three sides from group 1 go up, the season before saw three sides from group 2 go up.

Relegation wise 5 on each side go down meaning the jeopardy is huge, last season Barca B and Recreativo Huelva both went down a season after they made the play-offs, Amorebieta went down despite having come from Segunda and Intercity went down despite having players such as Anthony Modeste who had played in the Champions League quarter finals in 2023.

Group 1

Promotion Hopefuls

All eyes are on Tenerife in group 1 after a disastrous season in Segunda. The Canarian outfit rallied in the second half of last season under Alvaro Cerveras and have Felipe Miñambres a quality operator who has gone from a Sporting Director at sides such as Rayo and Levante to President of the club. Tete have recruited well but the only question mark is how Cerveras a more conservative coach adapts to the expectation that is on Tenerife with sides sitting in against them.

Mérida made the play-offs last season and are now part of the same multi-club ownership as Brentford, this summer has seen mass upheaval with 14 departures and 13 arrivals with a focus on players who have come from the northern part of Spain as they move from the more southern group of last season to the north/west group of this season.

Racing Ferrol came down with Tenerife although their season was somehow more disastrous than the Canarian side. 21 players have departed and 18 new signings such is the upheaval as you move to the third tier. The new coach Pablo Lopez did fantastic things at neighbours Ourense and they could be dark horses.

Ponferradina have been knocking on the door the last two seasons finishing second on head to head last season, Ponfe have seen some good players depart but they still look relatively good and with plenty of third tier experience will think they can challenge but play-offs look more likely.

Play-off hopefuls

The third tier is so open, that you could technically list all 20 sides for this. Last season group 1 had just 15 points between the last play-off place and the last relegation spot.

Celta B and Athletic B were strong last season and could again challenge, Real Madrid Castilla also have spent big and no we don’t mean on Franco Mastantuono who is technically registered with the B team but on players such as Rachad Fettal from Almeria’s first team but with players being sold and Gonzalo Garcia moving up to the first team it seems unlikely they will be challenging.

Lugo have made some smart signings from Segunda with players such as Lago Junior who has made his name at clubs such as Mallorca, Malaga and Racing. They also poached highly rated Yago Iglesias as their new Head Coach from rivals Pontevedra.

Barakaldo were in the play-offs when Maroan Sannadi left the club in January to become a first team player for Athletic. The Basque club have signed a mixture of loanees from fellow Basque clubs and free signings with experience in the league.

Zamora have spent some big money for the third tier standards and not just because they have a Welsh striker in Joshua Farrell they could do well this season. The town of Zamora could do with a good story having been the place where the tragic death of Diogo Jota had happened earlier this summer. Don’t be surprised if the play-offs are the minimum they aim for.

Relegation candidates

Almost all 20 clubs could go into this as well, Ourense are a great club and have a coach with a fascinating story in Dani Llacer who spent time at Harrow Borough and Corinthian Casuals but the loss of their former Head Coach Pablo Lopez will hurt, Arenteiro are another Galician club who could be in trouble. Osasuna B have seen a number of players leave to clubs in the division but have spent almost €100,000 on a Russian centre back although they look favourites to go down. Unionistas are a fantastic story of fans never giving up and have Oriel Riera in charge a striker who once cost Wigan £2 million but with a small budget it could be tough for the fan owned club. Arenas are founding members of LaLiga but having gained promotion back to the third tier lost talented Head Coach Ibai Gomez to Segunda and he took a number of the team with him. They will also have to contend with a move out of their ground halfway through this season as their artificial grass pitch isn’t allowed in the league.

Good stories

Real Aviles are a rare addition of an Asturian side in the third tier, they also seem to have pulled off a coup in hiring Dani Vidal a coach who did great things at Nastic but having just come up it could be a season of struggle. Speaking of regions that are often under represented Talavera and Depor Guada both represent Castile-La Mancha a dry and empty part of Spain. Another empty part of Spain that is growing in the third tier is Extemadura with Cacereño coming up to meet their neighbours Mérida. Pontevedra is one of Spain’s most beautiful cities and their football team play at the atmospheric Pasaron they were a fixture in La Liga in the 60s and it’s great to see them climb back to the third tier.

Group 2

Promotion Contenders

Group 2 feels wide open and sees sides with plenty of history in the group. Real Murcia finished second last season and have hired Athletic legend and former Segunda coach Joseba Exteberria as Head Coach. While he has pedigree in the division above the question mark is will it translate in the unique settings of the third tier?

Pedro Benito feels on the brink of a good season for the side from Murcia and how the team do at home this season will be crucial, not many sides in the third tier can command crowds the size of Real Murcia’s but at times the pressure looked to hinder not help the players.

Eldense from neighbouring Valencia came down from Segunda having given it a good fight. They’ve signed 17 players this summer and seen a further 17 depart gutting the squad that battled relegation from Segunda but should still be strong.

UD Ibiza face a third season in the third tier and having made the play-offs last season will be looking to take advantage of a wide open group this time. Managed by former Rayo coach Paco Jemez they’ve signed some experience and some quality and will feel confident.

Play-off hopefuls

Nastic have fallen at the play-off final stage the last two years, they’ve sold two of their key attackers from last season but look good enough for the play-offs.

Cartagena put in one of the worst seasons in history last season finishing 28 points from safety, fans continue to protest at their ownership and are boycotting the team but the hiring of Javi Rey as Head Coach and a busy summer of signings should see them compete for the top 5.

Hercules are a huge club and last season they had an indifferent return to the third tier having been in the fourth. Expectation will ramp up this season and forward wise they look to have a good mix with Slavy a proven scorer at this level and Fran Sol an experienced striker challenging for what was a position of weakness for the Alicante side last season.

Alcorcon are looking strong although if Vladys Kopotun their star striker leaves that would impact their chances of challenging for a return to Segunda.

Antequera are owned by former Burnley chairman Mike Garlick, popular coach Javi Medina has left for Betis B and replacement Abel Gomez took Recre to the play-offs but then left them halfway through last season in the relegation places. Marbella have been an ambitious club for a long time and with Casemiro among the ownership group the long term plan is promotion, they made a marquee signing in ex Sheffield Wednesday striker Rodri who played a key part in Ceuta’s promotion last season.

Relegation candidates

Europa were founding members of LaLiga and a great club with a rich history, they though are a socio based club in an ever increasing private investment league, the club set up a crowdfunding with the aim of reaching €300,000 to fund their season and will also have to move in January as their pitch is artificial. Atletico Sanluqueño are perennial strugglers at this level and will expect to be in a battle to stay up. Juventud Torremolinos haven’t played at this level since 1968, they are a great club but might struggle this season although away teams will not find El Pozuelo an easy visit. CD Teruel come from empty Spain in Aragon and although they showed great grit to come up it could be a tricky return.

Good stories

Europa and Torremolinos are two great clubs who have punched above their weight to get here and both have vibrant fanbases that will bring a lot to the league. Sabadell are a historic Catalan club and their long term aim is to get back to Segunda but this year should be all about survival. Teruel returning and continuing to punch above their weight in a province that is seeing increasing amounts of ghost towns is a fantastic story.

Finally while I will look to cover the third tier whenever possible, if you want to know more about the league and a weekly round up I highly recommend El Pozo which rounds up both groups weekly and goes into more detail around how the teams are getting on.