Albacete Balompié

This team is from Albacete a city in Castilla-La Mancha. It's been reported in at least three sources that football was first taught in Albacete by John Hulse, an English Engineer of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railways Company, establishing the foundation of Locomotoras Albacete, after the same-named steam locomotive factory in the city, owned by the Goicoechea family, owners of Talgo.[3] Thus, like in Swindon, football in Albacete is originally linked to the railway industry.[4] Hulse introduced the Sheffield Rules in Albacete, and some of the first matches to be reported are against recreational clubs from Murcia (1897), Alcázar de San Juan (1899), and Villarrobledo (1899).[5]

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 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.[6] 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.[7] The club managed to reach the round of 16 of the 2011–12 Copa del Rey, notably beating Atlético Madrid 3–1 on aggregate.[8]

In March 2013, Agustín Lázaro, chief executive officer (CEO) of Andrés Iniesta's winery enterprise, was appointed as Albacete's chairman.[9] In June, Iniesta loaned the club a further €240,000 to cover unpaid wages, thus preventing its administrative relegation to the fourth tier.[10]

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.[11] On next season, Albacete finished last in second division and we're relegated to the third division. Thus ending their four-years stay in the second division.

Albacete promoted to Segunda in the 2021–22 Primera RFEF season playoffs, by defeating Deportivo de La Coruña in their home turf.[12] The team came back from a 1–0 deficit, winning 1–2 with an overtime goal.[12]

The numbers are established according to the official website: and www.lfp.es

As of 11 September 2023

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  ESP Bernabé Barragán (captain) 2 DF  CMR Mohammed Djetei 3 DF  ARG Jonathan Silva (on loan from Getafe) 4 MF  ESP Agus Medina 5 MF  ESP Juan Antonio Ros 6 MF  ESP Sergi Maestre 7 FW  ESP Juanma García 8 MF  ESP Riki Rodríguez 9 FW  ESP Higinio Marín 10 FW  ESP Manu Fuster 13 GK  ESP Diego Altube 14 FW  ESP Pedro Benito

No. Pos. Nation Player 15 DF  CRO Toni Datković 16 FW  ESP Dani Escriche 17 DF  ESP Julio Alonso 18 MF  ESP Antonio Pacheco 19 MF  ESP Lander Olaetxea 20 MF  ENG Samuel Shashoua 21 FW  ESP Alberto Quiles 22 DF  ESP Carlos Isaac 23 DF  ESP Álvaro Rodríguez 24 DF  ESP Cristian Glauder 27 DF  GHA Emmanuel Attipoe — DF  ISL Diegui

Reserve team

Main article: Atlético Albacete

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

No. Pos. Nation Player 34 FW  ESP Marcos Moreno 35 MF  ESP Luis Roldán

Out on loan

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

No. Pos. Nation Player — DF  ESP Juan María Alcedo (at Mirandés until 30 June 2024) — FW  ESP Dani González (at Celta Fortuna until 30 June 2024)

No. Pos. Nation Player — FW  VEN Jovanny Bolívar (at Huesca until 30 June 2024)

Current technical staff

Position	Staff
Head coach	Rubén Albés
Assistant coach	Toni Madrigal
Fitness coach	José Luis Ibáñez
Goalkeeping coach	Carlos Cano

Last updated: May 2021
Source: Albacete Balompié

• Segunda División: (1) 1990–91
• Segunda División B: (2) 1989–90, 2013–14, 2016–17
• Tercera División: (8) 1945–46, 1946–47, 1948–49, 1958–59, 1960–61, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1981–82
• La Liga promotion: (2) 1990–91, 2002–03
• Segunda División promotion: (2) 1984–85, 1989–90

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.

• Atlético Albacete, Albacete Balompié's reserve team
• Fundación Albacete, Albacete Balompié's women's team.
• Albacete FS, a futsal club from the same city.

• Official website (in Spanish)
• Futbolme team profile (in Spanish)