Albacete Balompié

Albacete

Full name	Albacete Balompié, S.A.D.
Nickname(s)	Queso Mecánico (Clockwork Cheese)
Founded	1940
Ground	Carlos Belmonte, Albacete, Castile–La Mancha, Spain
Capacity	18,000
Owner	Skyline International
Chairman	Georges Kabchi
Manager	Luis Miguel Ramis
League	Segunda División
2017–18	Segunda División, 17th
Website	Club website
Home colours Away colours Third 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, holding home matches at Estadio Carlos Belmonte, with a capacity of 18,000. It is currently owned by Georges David Kabchi.

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 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. 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 club managed to reach the round of 16 of the 2011–12 Copa del Rey, notably beating Atlético Madrid 3–1 on aggregate.^[2]

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

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.

Seasons

Albacete Balompié "Andrés Iniesta" sports city.

Ciudad de Albacete trophy 1994.

Current squad

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

As of 30 August 2018

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

No. Position Player 1 GK Churripi (on loan from Real Valladolid) 2 DF Álvaro Arroyo (Captain) 3 DF Fran García 4 DF Nico Gorosito 5 DF Mathías Olivera (on loan from Getafe) 6 MF Jon Erice 7 MF Néstor Susaeta 8 MF Aleix Febas (on loan from Real Madrid) 9 FW Alfredo Ortuño 10 FW Roman Zozulya 11 MF Mickaël Malsa (on loan from Fortuna Sittard)

No. Position Player 13 GK Tomeu Nadal 14 MF Diego Barri 15 FW Javier Acuña 16 DF José Antonio Caro 17 MF Eugeni (on loan from Huesca) 19 DF Santiago Gentiletti 20 FW Paulo Vitor (on loan from Vasco da Gama) 21 DF Chus Herrero 22 FW Rey Manaj (on loan from Inter Milan) 23 DF Álvaro Tejero (on loan from Real Madrid) 24 FW Jérémie Bela

Other players under contract

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

No. Position Player 18 MF Pelayo Novo

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. Position Player 26 GK Darío Ramos 28 MF Lado Mokhevishvili 29 DF Jean Jules

No. Position Player 30 DF Ángel Moreno 34 DF Rubén del Valle

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 — DF Adri Gómez (on loan at Irtysh Pavlodar until 31 December 2018) — MF Sergio Molina (on loan at Salmantino until 30 June 2019) — FW Alfon (on loan at Inter de Madrid until 30 June 2019)

Current technical staff

Position	Staff
Manager	Luis Miguel Ramis
Assistant manager	José Manuel Gil
Fitness coach	Miguel Ángel Fernández
Fitness coach	Alberto Piernas
Coach	Fran Noguerol
Goalkeeping coach	Carlos Cano
Analyst	Iván Madroño
Analyst	Dani Carmona

Last updated: June 2018
Source: Albacete Balompié

Honours

• 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

Stadium

Estadio Carlos Belmonte

The club plays its home matches at the Estadio Carlos Belmonte, which has an all-seated capacity of 18,000. Originally built in 1960, the stadium underwent two major redevelopments, the last being in 1998.

International players

Famous coaches

See also

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

References

External links

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