Marbella FC Aims for Promotion in Fourth Attempt
Marbella FC will be playing for the fourth time in its history in a promotion phase from 2nd B or 2nd RFEF to a higher category. The white team has not been able to overcome the first round in any of the previous three occasions, a goal they aim to achieve this season. Getafe B is the first hurdle they will have to overcome to reach 1st RFEF. Since the establishment of the new categories (1st RFEF, 2nd RFEF, and 3rd RFEF), Marbella had not yet played any promotion phase from the 2nd RFEF, as this season was their debut in the category.
Comparing Current and Previous Categories
However, due to the organization of the groups and the playoff system, the current 2nd RFEF can be equated to the now-defunct Second Division B, although it is a step below. In this category, the club managed to play three promotion phases over a period of 11 years. These playoffs have never been easy for Marbella, which was never able to overcome the first round. To achieve promotion to 1st RFEF now, Marbella will have to go through two rounds, and to achieve the goal, the dynamics of previous playoffs must be changed.
History of Playoffs
The first playoff that the Marbella team played took place in the 2008/09 season. The team qualified on the last league day, reaching fourth place and getting into the fight to move up to the Second Division. On that occasion, the first opponent of the whites was a Lorca Deportiva that finished the season in second position in Group II. The first leg already made things very difficult for the whites with a home defeat by 0-2. In the return match, David Pino scored the 0-1 in the final stretch of the match; with no time left for the Marbella team to get into the game.
The Cruelty of Penalties
Almost a decade later, in the 2017/18 season, and after recovering from a relegation to the Third Division, Marbella managed to qualify again to play a promotion phase. On that occasion, only one point would deprive Fernando Estévez’s team of being first and playing for promotion in only one round. The first opponent of the ‘play-off’ was a Celta de Vigo B, which finished fourth in its group. Again, the first leg marked the development of the round after the whites fell in Galician lands by 2-0.
Unlucky at Marbella Football Center
The third promotion phase of Marbella took place in the 2019/20 season, just two years after the previous one and already with the current owners of the club. The team faced it again as the second classified after the regular season was suspended ten days from the end due to the coronavirus. This round was also played in a single match format at a neutral venue, with Marbella being one of the designated venues. On this occasion, the opponent was another fourth classified as the Peña Deportiva.
New Attempt for Promotion
This time, Marbella faces a new attempt to move up, although it faces it as the third classified for the first time. The first opponent will be Getafe B this Sunday from 11:30 am at the Sports City of the Getafe team.
