Albacete Balompié

Albacete

Full name	Albacete Balompié, S.A.D.
Nickname(s)	Queso Mecánico (A Clockwork Cheese)
Founded	1940
Ground	Carlos Belmonte, Albacete, Castile–La Mancha, Spain
Ground Capacity	17,300
Owner	Andrés Iniesta
Chairman	José Miguel Garrido
Manager	José Manuel Aira
League	2ª B – Group 2
2015–16	Segunda División, 21st (relegated)
Home colours Away colours

Albacete Balompié, S.A.D. is a Spanish football team based in Albacete, in the autonomous community of Castile–La Mancha. Founded on 2 August 1940 it currently plays in Segunda División B – Group 2, holding home matches at Estadio Carlos Belmonte, with a 17,300-seat capacity. It is currently owned by Spanish footballer Andrés Iniesta.

History

The club was founded in 1940, under the name Albacete Fútbol Asociación, being later changed in an attempt to make it sound "more Spanish". After years playing in the lower leagues, Albacete first played in the second division in 1985–86, repeating the feat five seasons later.

In 1989, Benito Floro consecutively promoted it from the third 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 were 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, it dropped in 2004–05, after just six 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. 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.^[1] The team managed to reach the last 16 of the Copa del Rey nonetheless, notably beating Atlético Madrid 3–1 on aggregate.^[2]

In March 2013 Agustín Lázaro, CEO of Iniesta's winery enterprise, was appointed as Albacete's chairman.^[3] In June the player loaned the club a further €240,000 to cover unpaid wages, thus preventing its administrative relegation to the fourth tier.^[4]

In 2014 Albacete came back to Segunda División, but was relegated two seasons later after finishing the season in the 21st position.

Seasons

Season to season

• 7 seasons in La Liga
• 20 seasons in Segunda División
• 11 seasons in Segunda División B
• 29 seasons in Tercera División
• 7 seasons in Categorías Regionales

Recent seasons

Season		Pos.	Pl.	W	D	L	GS	GA	P	Cup	Notes
2002–03	2D	3	42	17	20	5	51	30	71		Promoted
2003–04	1D	14	38	13	8	17	40	48	47
2004–05	1D	20	38	6	10	22	33	56	28	3rd round	Relegated
2005–06	2D	13	42	14	12	16	44	57	54
2006–07	2D	6	42	16	12	14	49	48	60
2007–08	2D	12	42	13	13	16	37	40	52
2008–09	2D	15	42	13	12	17	42	54	51
2009–10	2D	15	42	12	16	14	60	62	52
2010–11	2D	22	42	7	11	24	35	64	32		Relegated

Current squad

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

As of 15 October 2016

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

No. Position Player — GK Tomeu Nadal — GK Héctor Pizana — GK Hugo Eyre — DF Álvaro Arroyo — DF Carlos Delgado — DF Cristian Galas — DF Adri Gómez — DF Mickaël Gaffoor — DF José Fran — DF Ángel Moreno — MF Diego Manzano — MF Eneko Eizmendi

No. Position Player — MF Fran Carnicer — MF Rafa Gálvez — MF Marc Rovirola — MF Dani Rodríguez — MF Lado Mokhevishvili — MF Josan — FW Eloy Gila — FW Isaac Aketxe — FW Aridane Santana — FW Héctor Hernández (on loan from Atlético Madrid) — FW Alfon

Out on loan

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

No. Position Player — MF Samu (at Alcorcón until 30 June 2017)

Honours

• Segunda División: (1) 1990–91
• Segunda División B: (2) 1989–90, 2013–14
• 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

Stadium

Estadio Carlos Belmonte

The club plays its home matches at the Estadio Carlos Belmonte, which has an all-seated capacity of 17,200. Originally built in 1960, the stadium underwent two major redevelopments, the last being in 1998.

International players

Famous coaches

See also

• Albacete Balompié B
• Albacete FS, a futsal club from the same city.

References

External links

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