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Buñol - Ciudad Deportiva
Thanks to the bizarre mechanics of the Spanish Football Federation, Levante Unión Deportiva has been able to buy a place for its Reserve side in Segunda B for the 2012-13 season. This type of trade-off...
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España 82 - Madrid - Estadio Santiago Bernabéu
It was no surprise when the RFEF selected the iconic Estadio Santiago Bernabéu to stage the final of the 1982 World Cup. For nearly 35 years, the home of Real Madrid had played host to some of the...
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Madrid - Ciudad Deportiva Valdebebas
Real Madrid will have a presence in the top three tiers of Spanish Football for the 2012-13 season. This however is not the first time that the Spanish giants have done this, as there was a four year...
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Santander - La Albericia
Given their financial woes and general air of uncertainty, it came as a bit of a surprise to learn that Racing Santander has stomped up 190.000€ for a place in Segunda B for its reserve side. When you...
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A Season in the Spotlight - La Liga 1949-50
Background – In the ten seasons since the end of the Civil War, the La Liga title had been won by five different clubs. Contrary to popular belief, Franco’s ascent to power did not coincide with an...
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Arrecife - Ciudad Deportiva
It’s 1900 and the new-fangled craze of foot-ball is starting to take a grip on mainland Spain, but not in far-off Lanzarote. 25 years later and the islands of Gran Canaria, Tenerife and La Palma have...
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Ibiza - Can Misses
Ibiza is famed for its tourism, night-life, music & Phoenician heritage. However, its footballing pedigree is at best questionable. Over the years, the island has played second fiddle to the larger...
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Welcome to Estadios de Fútbol en España
If this is your first visit to Estadios de Fútbol en España or you are simply returning, can I offer you a very warm welcome to the only English language site dedicated to the history of Spanish...
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Tetouan - Estadio de Varela
A casual glance at the La Primera's all-time classification will throw up few surprises. Sitting proudly at the summit is Real Madrid, followed closely by Barcelona, with all the usual suspects...
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Valladolid - Anexo el José Zorrilla
Following the problems surrounding CD Guijuelo in the week leading up to the start of the 2012-13 season, rumours suggested that the RFEF had turned to a club who at least had some pedigree at this...
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Palamós - Nou Estadi
Founded in 1898, a full year before their more illustrious cousins FC Barcelona, Palamós Club de Futbol is the oldest football club in Catalunya. Formed by Gasper Matas, a student who learnt the game...
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Building for the Future?
Spanish football sits at the top of the international and club game, but all is not well. The perilous financial state of La Liga’s top clubs has been well documented, and whilst Spain’s best continue...
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A Season in the Spotlight - La Liga 1985-86
Background. Spain in 1985 was unrecognisable from the neurotic, militarised State of a decade earlier. Democratic and social reform had transformed the country and its people, which in turn led to a...
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Grounds for concern?
Earlier this year, Forza Futbol invited me to write an article on the state of stadiums in La Liga. With a few notable exceptions, it did not make happy reading. I reported that the majority of clubs...
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Arrested Development
Despite the effects of Spain’s crippling financial crisis and the lack of a coherent plan when it comes to scheduling fixtures, the Spanish football fan is a hardy breed. Reports of a mass exodus of...
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Spain vs France & the Calderón Connection
When the draw for the UEFA qualification groups was held on 30 July last year, attention rightly focused on the Spain vs France fixtures. Tomorrow, at the Vicente Calderón, the first of the two ties...
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Figueres - Estadi Municipal de Vilatenim
Here's a cautionary tale from one of Catalunya's footballing backwaters. The story of a small town club hitting the big time, before losing it all thanks to one man's ego. Special thanks to Liam...
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A Season in the Spotlight - 1945-46
Background. This was the fifteenth Spanish league championship and to date, the title had only travelled to the south of the country on one occasion when Real Betis won the league in 1935. By 1945,...
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Madrid - Campo de Chamartin
It may come as a surprise to many, but Madrid was absent from the birth of Spanish football. The city did not take on its current fatherly duties until the foundation of the RFEF in 1909. With no...
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