Albacete Balompié

Albacete Balompié
Full name	Albacete Balompié, S.A.D.
Nickname(s)	Queso Mecánico; (Clockwork Cheese); Alba
Founded	5 July 1939; 85 years ago (as Albacete Foot-ball Association)
Ground	Estadio Carlos Belmonte
Capacity	17,524
Owner	Skyline International
President	Georges Kabchi
Head coach	Alberto González
League	Segunda División
2023–24	Segunda División, 13th of 22
Website	www.albacetebalompie.es
	Current season

Albacete Balompié is a Spanish football team based in Albacete, in the autonomous community of Castile–La Mancha. Founded on 5 July 1939, it currently plays in Segunda División, the second tier of Spanish football, holding home matches at Estadio Carlos Belmonte, with a capacity of 17,524.^[2]

History

Chart of Albacete Balompié league performance 1929–present

This team is from Albacete a city in Castilla-La Mancha. 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 ^{[clarification needed]} 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.^[3] 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.^[4] The club managed to reach the round of 16 of the 2011–12 Copa del Rey, notably beating Atlético Madrid 3–1 on aggregate.^[5]

In March 2013, Agustín Lázaro, chief executive officer (CEO) of Andrés Iniesta's winery enterprise, was appointed as Albacete's chairman.^[6] In June, Iniesta loaned the club a further €240,000 to cover unpaid wages, thus preventing its administrative relegation to the fourth tier.^[7]

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.^[8] On next season, Albacete finished last in second division and were relegated to the third division. Thus ending their four-years stay in the second division.

Albacete were promoted to Segunda in the 2021–22 Primera RFEF season playoffs, after defeating Deportivo de La Coruña at the Estadio Riazor. The team came back from a 1–0 deficit, winning 2-1 with a goal in extra time.^[9]

Seasons

Albacete Balompié "Andrés Iniesta" sports city.

Ciudad de Albacete trophy 1994.

Season to season

Season	Tier	Division	Place
1940–41	4	1ª Reg.	3rd
1941–42	3	1ª Reg.	4th
1942–43	3	1ª Reg.	2nd
1943–44	3	3ª	2nd
1944–45	3	3ª	3rd
1945–46	3	3ª	1st
1946–47	3	3ª	1st
1947–48	3	3ª	3rd
1948–49	3	3ª	1st
1949–50	2	2ª	7th
1950–51	2	2ª	15th
1951–52	DNP
1952–53	3	3ª	3rd
1953–54	3	3ª	13th
1954–55	3	3ª	7th
1955–56	3	3ª	9th
1956–57	3	3ª	5th
1957–58	3	3ª	5th
1958–59	3	3ª	1st
1959–60	3	3ª	4th

Season	Tier	Division	Place
1960–61	3	3ª	1st
1961–62	2	2ª	13th
1962–63	3	3ª	4th
1963–64	3	3ª	1st
1964–65	3	3ª	1st
1965–66	3	3ª	3rd
1966–67	3	3ª	2nd
1967–68	3	3ª	4th
1968–69	3	3ª	8th
1969–70	3	3ª	14th
1970–71	4	1ª Reg.	7th
1971–72	4	Reg. Pref.	6th
1972–73	4	Reg. Pref.	14th
1973–74	4	Reg. Pref.	7th
1974–75	4	Reg. Pref.	1st
1975–76	3	3ª	17th
1976–77	4	Reg. Pref.	2nd
1977–78	4	3ª	2nd
1978–79	4	3ª	2nd
1979–80	4	3ª	2nd

Season	Tier	Division	Place	Copa del Rey
1980–81	4	3ª	2nd
1981–82	4	3ª	1st
1982–83	3	2ª B	3rd
1983–84	3	2ª B	5th
1984–85	3	2ª B	2nd
1985–86	2	2ª	17th
1986–87	3	2ª B	17th
1987–88	3	2ª B	3rd
1988–89	3	2ª B	12th
1989–90	3	2ª B	1st
1990–91	2	2ª	1st
1991–92	1	1ª	7th
1992–93	1	1ª	17th	Round of 16
1993–94	1	1ª	13th	Fourth round
1994–95	1	1ª	17th	Semifinals
1995–96	1	1ª	20th	First round
1996–97	2	2ª	4th	Second round
1997–98	2	2ª	14th	Second round
1998–99	2	2ª	15th	Second round
1999–2000	2	2ª	10th	Second round

Season	Tier	Division	Place	Copa del Rey
2000–01	2	2ª	5th	Round of 64
2001–02	2	2ª	10th	Round of 32
2002–03	2	2ª	3rd	Round of 64
2003–04	1	1ª	14th	Round of 64
2004–05	1	1ª	20th	Round of 32
2005–06	2	2ª	13th	Third round
2006–07	2	2ª	6th	Second round
2007–08	2	2ª	12th	Third round
2008–09	2	2ª	15th	Third round
2009–10	2	2ª	15th	Second round
2010–11	2	2ª	22nd	Second round
2011–12	3	2ª B	4th	Round of 16
2012–13	3	2ª B	3rd	Second round
2013–14	3	2ª B	1st	Second round
2014–15	2	2ª	14th	Round of 32
2015–16	2	2ª	21st	Second round
2016–17	3	2ª B	1st	Third round
2017–18	2	2ª	17th	Second round
2018–19	2	2ª	4th	Second round
2019–20	2	2ª	17th	Second round

Season	Tier	Division	Place	Copa del Rey
2020–21	2	2ª	22nd	First round
2021–22	3	1ª RFEF	3rd	Second round
2022–23	2	2ª	6th	Second round
2023–24	2	2ª	13th	First round
2024–25	2	2ª

7 seasons in La Liga
27 seasons in Segunda División
1 season in Primera División RFEF
11 seasons in Segunda División B
29 seasons in Tercera División
9 seasons in Categorías Regionales

Current squad

As of 5 December 2024^[10]

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


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
1	GK	ESP	Cristian Rivero (on loan from Valencia)
2	DF	ESP	Álvaro Rodríguez (3rd captain)
3	DF	ESP	Juan María Alcedo
4	MF	ESP	Agus Medina
5	DF	ESP	Juan Antonio Ros
6	MF	ESP	Rai Marchán (4th captain)
7	FW	ESP	Juanma García
8	MF	ESP	Riki Rodríguez (captain)
9	FW	ESP	Higinio Marín (vice-captain)
10	FW	ESP	Fidel
11	FW	ESP	José Carlos Lazo
13	GK	ESP	Raúl Lizoain


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
14	DF	ESP	Jon García
15	FW	MAR	Nabil Touaizi
16	DF	ESP	Diego González
17	MF	ESP	Ale Meléndez
18	MF	ESP	Javi Villar
20	MF	ESP	Antonio Pacheco
21	FW	ESP	Alberto Quiles
22	FW	ESP	Jon Morcillo
24	DF	ESP	Jaume Costa
27	DF	ESP	Lalo Aguilar (on loan from Leganés)
29	DF	ESP	Javi Rueda (on loan from Celta)
—	DF	ESP	Pepe Sánchez

Reserve team

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


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
28	FW	ESP	Joan Pulpón
30	GK	ESP	Mario Ramos
31	FW	ESP	Alex Willy
32	MF	ESP	Eduardo de la Casa


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
33	MF	ESP	Neco Rubayo
34	FW	ESP	Marcos Moreno
36	MF	ESP	Capi

Out on loan

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


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	FW	ESP	Dani Escriche (at Cartagena until 30 June 2025)
—	FW	VEN	Jovanny Bolívar (at Kolos Kovalivka until 30 June 2025)

Current technical staff

Position	Staff
Head coach	Alberto González
Assistant coach	Enrique González
Goalkeeping coach	Carlos Cano
Fitness coach	Juanjo Rico
Technical assistant	Salva Todolí
Delegate	José Manuel León
Match delegate	Borja Longueira
Kit man	Alberto Rodenas Cristian Martínez
Doctor	Javier Soro
Rehab fitness coach	Sergio García
Physiotherapist	Germán Schwarz Juanfer Pardo Pablo Ruiz
Nutritionist	Ángel Moreno

Last updated: 20 November 2024
Source: Albacete Balompié (in Spanish)

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 17,524. Originally built in 1960, the stadium underwent two major redevelopments, the last being in 1998.