Critical situation in Marbella

Marbella is one of the ocean liners sailing in Second Division B with a mind set on reaching professional football soon. He already made his first big attempt last season, with the Signings of Esteban Granero and Juanmi Callejón in the winter market and trust in Best of You and Óscar Ribot as project leader. It could not be. The Peña Deportiva threw ex officio and eliminated Malaga in the first round of the Playoff. Forgotten issue, this campaign began with the same enthusiasm and with the guarantee that if the promotion is not sealed first, would be framed in the new First RFEF, a category much closer to professionalism. Sure, if everything went according to plan … 13 days later, the reality is quite different. And he already plans on the horizon, even, a descent to Third RFEF that would be the definitive dagger to what was an exciting project.

For the moment, the matter does not invite optimism. Marbella is seventh in Subgroup A of Group IV, with 13 points in 12 games. It has a pending match, but the Cádiz and Las Palmas subsidiaries, below in the ranking, add one and two fewer games respectively. Recre, sixth, also has 13 points, with only ten games played. Atlético Sanluqueño and Balompédica Linense are already somewhat far away. If José Manuel Aira's team scored full of victories, he would end the season with 31 on his locker. Would it be enough to enter the top three of the classification and guarantee the Second Division B Pro? The truth is that no. Algeciras (25), Tamaraceite (23) and Saint Fernando (22) have an important cushion to get into the ascent phase. The goal, therefore, is practically a utopia.

If the promotion does not come, the First RFEF is another oxygen pathway. It will be made up of 40 teams, divided into two groups of 20 and with a budget and sufficient level to give the category high competitiveness. To achieve a place in such a division, Marbella would have to be among the top six, something that it has not achieved so far. The first three places in the classification guarantee it. The fourth, fifth and sixth require a new round to achieve it. In it, the results already obtained in this first phase are dragged. Without going any further, those of Aira have lost against Atlético Sanluqueño and they play it this Wednesday against Balompédica Linense. Not winning would be a devastating reality check: absolute disadvantage in the possible playoff to Segunda B Pro and more complications in qualifying. There is time, but the margin of error is non-existent. It should be remembered that everything that is not going up will be going down, since the intermediate category created between LaLiga SmartBank and Second B makes the latter the fourth category of Spanish football and not the third as up to now.

An elite stadium and a fantastic relationship with the Federation

Extra-sportingly, Marbella's movements in recent months were destined to place the team in the elite. Last season's Playoff was played in the south, with the presentation, the draw and some of the games in Puerto Banús. Also, this year the two cities Candidates to host the promotion phase to LaLiga SmartBank were A Coruña and Marbella, always with sub-offices in nearby locations. Also, in terms of marketing, the club has a great status within Spanish football. His name has appeared in foreign media and Best of You promotes the project with a guaranteed future. It's more, its budget of three million euros is one of the highest in the category and they managed to incorporate a player who had started in the Europa League in the first stretch of the campaign: Esteban Granero.

But perhaps the most striking thing about the Marbella project is the construction of its new stadium. Last July, Óscar Ribot, CEO of Best of You, presented an enviable construction, which he defined as “urban jewel, symbol of the city”. It was not be for lowerly. The idea is based on a modern field, with capacity for 18,000 spectators, 2,000 underground parking spaces and a commercial and hotel area connected to the fiefdom.. The video of the model revealed a stadium more typical of professional football. Or, rather, First Division. Meanwhile, the idea was to use La Rosaleda, in case of promotion.

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What happened on the grass?

Budget, renowned signings, ideas for the future, total confidence in a project, good experience last year with qualification for the Playoff … What has happened so that now there is even fear of a (double) descent to Third RFEF? The circumstances have not accompanied. Aira has suffered continuous injuries at the start and this format does not give rise to frequent failure. Cissé, Cordero or Alfonso Herrero have been on leave. Also positive for coronavirus have disrupted the plans. Ferdy or Gudiño arrived as hopeful signings, but they have not finished fitting into the team … A team, moreover, that has been transformed compared to the one that played a great role last season with the qualification for the Playoff.

Aira has not found the key either. He arrived as helmsman after ascending with Albacete or going far to Racing de Ferrol, Real Murcia or Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa. Today, is on the ropes. The two consecutive defeats against Tamaraceite and Cádiz B leave their position in an extreme situation. Everything indicates that he will be dismissed if he loses against Balompédica Linense this Wednesday, since it is a momentous match. A victory straightens the course somewhat. To fall is to hit bottom … Beyond that, the equipment does not work. They have not won two games in a row throughout the season and taking away the eight goals scored against Marino, they have only celebrated seven in the other ten games disputed garters. The winter signings of Eliseo Falcón and Chumbi they are a glimmer of hope in a troubling loop.

Countdown…

Marbella still has time to turn the situation around. From the base, promotion to Second Division B Pro would not be classified as a failure, as it is another step towards professionalization. Being in the top three also does not guarantee promotion. A new group, with the leaders, and then the traditional promotion phase, with life or death eliminations and only four places, is a chimera. Let them tell great projects such as the Cultural Leonesa, fighting every year to take the coveted square. Another issue is the goal set from within. Beyond the media or the thoughts of amateurs after advertisements such as those of Callejón or Granero, the board aims very high.

Before the last Playoff dispute, Óscar Ribot talked about the project at AS: “When we use the slogan 'Let's Dream Big' it's not because it looks pretty. Here we have no other intention than to raise Marbella to the First Division. For that, what should we have? Players, coaching staff and workers who understand that we are at the beginning of a path that has no other end, which is the First Division. And also that we are going to achieve it. We are very stubborn and persistent. For that you have to go through Second first and we are on the way. (…) We have come to make Marbella great. It will take us many years and a lot of work, but we are going to do it. We are clear that not moving up does not pass through our heads. It would be bad if we were with doubts not to ascend. (…) But I am not afraid to say that my goal is not only to go up to the Second Division, but to go up to the First Division. Thats the reality. That's what I'm here for. We are not to waste time“Constancy is adequate, but the ball speaks. And it says that it is time to grit your teeth and fight for a goal that is already seen too far on the horizon …