[FM18] Name a pitch badder than Badalona

[Diego Imposta]

157.

With Brachi’s methods now starting to take root, we would defend as a team. Maestre would have to support the midfield rather than protect the defence but it was a not a problem for him. It may be a problem for the two young defenders behind him but we would see. In an unusual piece of squad management, the new Lleida boss had transfer listed Italian-born Sandro Toscano. He was a player in these parts a couple of years ago but it had not worked out for him since he left. A Castilla youth, he would have a friend in Head of Youth Development Marchese who was now also a fluent speaker.

We didn’t need an attacking midfielder but for just € 9 000, three months of the remaining six on his contract, it was worth finding out if we could afford the wages. We couldn’t; not yet. We had to sell.

Two simple changes at the back during the mid-week assessment saw Amador return to the line-up and Duràn oust Muñoz at left full-back. I needed to start getting men fit and Duràn had wanted his chance so badly. It would keep the veteran on his toes and show Ávila on the right how some of the right application would earn him a start. Segura was dropped to the bench and the players were told to take a knee. We’ve had a bit of a blip but it’s important to rally and come together as a squad; we can still stay up. Local lad Simón echoed those thoughts. He warned the team that we were in real danger of getting relegated here. It isn’t what I was expecting him to say but he nailed the sentiment when he said that we needed to improve quickly. We were finally together as a team and a club, too.

Matchday came around slowly. Lleida were warming up in their lurid pink away kit and, allayed to a strong breeze, suddenly Montigalà didn’t seem like home. The lads were told to pick up their form in today’s fixture but within seconds Durán let his man in and we nearly conceded. Match-fitness was a big deal. Moments later Cristian saved a certain goal from the same attack – it was an eventful time.

Everything was going through right winger Javi Lopez so I decided to get him hit hard and often. We had weathered the storm somewhat but were missing our set-piece chances and not creating much else. Taking advantage of the breeze, Lleida struck on half an hour. Successive deep, lofted crosses saw Javi Lopez curl one in for his opposite number to volley home past the hapless Lorenzo. It wasn’t game over. Simón went on a surging run, found Mesas, and the ‘keeper saved. We weren’t dead yet.

Simón pulled his groin and Castells was on – exceptional in training as always – so there were no real issues. We had to go through the gears in the last fifteen minutes of the half. It was a terrible idea. It led to their second, a swift counter from our free-kick, and that man Javi López finished it off, Durán nowhere to be seen. Amador took a page out of the mavericks playbook one minute later and stuck a sumptuous ball for Mesas to chase and knock in! Was this a consolation or a lifeline? Could we do it again? Pardavilla was the next to go down and signalled that he wanted to come off. They bullied us all half. Querol was on with instruction to get the team to attack. They would listen to the captain.

Seconds later Castells chased his own missed header from a cross set up by Querol on the other side and whipped in a devil of a cross for anyone to get on. Matías rose highest and powered the ball into the net for 2-2 on 44 minutes. It was an incredible comeback! Joan should have made it 3-2 in injury time with a missed header from a Querol free-kick. Could we actually go on and win this? When they came in at half-time I gave an impassioned speech. It was time for everyone to dig in. We deserve to win the match, so let’s go and do it! Cristian and Castells would get further upfield to give us options.

We were doing our level best to get the ball on the deck and play it but their defence or ‘keeper did so well. Lleida also posed a considerable threat on the counter-attack. We were so close to forcing a winning goal I could smell it. Mesas! Mesas! He did it! Castells with the cross and Mesas heads it in!

Ten goals this season. What a signing! Just when I was considering sending David García forward we ended up playing wonderful football down the right. Cristian found the driven teenager with a great pass via David García who was anchored in just the right position after all. Could we go for one more and kill the tie? They would tighten up and come at us alright so we had to be smart and loosen our roles. Take the opportunities as they come, boys. Lleida were wise to our crossing game and we had to sort something out. Luis Carlos was on for the last fifteen in order to give us new life in the attack.

Into the last five minutes we went, and we retreat, with the intention of sending Luis Carlos away in a counter. Matías, exhausted, then took a knock and hurt his jaw. Manfully he carried on as we had already made three substitutions. We hung on for dear life in injury time. Could we keep them out?

Lorenzo with the save! Incredible awareness to keep the long distance shot out. Corner. 93rd minute.

Querol won a free-kick 40 metres out. This was dangerous. If we lost possession we could lose points and no way did we deserve that. He took his time, using all that experience a captain has, and stuck it out for a throw-in. It was majestic. It was all over. We had done it. What a performance. I love this team! They are doing what I ask of them now and, crucially, they were right behind me and Posse. I immediately called Álvarez as Toscano was nowhere to be seen on the team sheet. They’d released him! Incredible. Álvarez, do everything you can to get him back to Badalona. He will be hot property.

Simón would be injured for the next game but Castells had taken that shirt anyway with two superb assists.

[Diego Imposta]

158.

Ultimately, Álvarez failed in his attempt to sign Toscano. If even he couldn’t rustle up the funds, was he even safe himself? Annoyed at his shortcomings I pressed him for names from his private list. We need a defender and a midfielder, that we can afford, that is going to slot into our squad seamlessly.

A few of these names were waiting for the budget to increase but a few were certainly left-field. One name stood out: Fabricio Santos. A Uruguay in the prime of his life, he was recently relegated after a bit-part role for the last few years at the club nearest to his home town. He didn’t make the grade in Montevideo with Fénix, was tiny, and ran around like a headless chicken apparently. But he was the quick, skilful type who never gave up and it sounded like just what we needed. It was a gamble, sure.

Another two on the list were Guillem Molina – a young defender at Valencia and Ben Lederman, the quick Polish youth on Barcelona B’s books. The latter was certainly getting the odd game whereas his rival, in my eyes at least, had barely featured even for reserve sides. Both would be available on loan but they represented nothing more than a good word from Álvarez. I had no idea if they were good.

Álvarez again failed to get his man. At this rate Aguiar and Masó would get a reprieve into the squad.

With Lorenzo flagging in training and Saavedra waiting six months for a chance, we would use his old head for the visit of Alzira. Moreno would take the wing role on the bench and Ángel Luis had done it all week and finally ousted Ávila for the number one contender for Cristian’s spot Durán is improved.

espnfc.com sent a reporter off the back of more nonsense comments from Manolo González, who it seemed could not get over leaving his old club, and they wound me up. I ended up storming out in a fit of rage after he suggested that we were the worst team in the division. When Santa Eulalia were 14 points adrift of the team directly above them! Still, they span it how they spin it and I was painted as cracking under the pressure. Noel Mata took particular issue with the suggestion that I could not answer the tough questions put to me – and he told me that the scolding was coming from the boss.

To illustrate the depth of the league, Lleida recovered to beat Castellón 4-2 away while Valencia got comfortable in the Barcelona area, ready for their trip to us next week, with a 6-0 win at Cornellà. It didn’t phase me. With the breeze again returning to Montigalà, we’d sit deep and invite Alzira on to us. I wanted the team to pick up where we left off – we were so close to getting out of the bottom five. We need to kick on one more time after that and then we had to push for a higher league finish.

We were made to kick-off facing our own fans – the white chevron on our blue shirt an odd sight for them so early in the game. Satisfied that they had no plan B, we decided to curtail the defence going for broke with their direct passing and let them feed the midfield to that job instead. As the rain got going, so did our passing game. We were still trying to unlock the industry in David García that we so craved but a cracking cross from Castells blindsided Alzira and Mesas jumped high at the near post, helping the ball up and over the goalkeeper for 1-0. ¡Gol! They really should have seen that coming.

Maybe David García just needed to face goal more and so we told him to be direct with his passing.

One mistake from Durán, mis-timing his jump against winger Jero, cost us. The cross came in, young Amador pushed his man and yet another penalty. When will this kid learn? Jero stepped up, and, not sure of Saavedra, hit it straight at him! It was an easy parry for the veteran and we got away with it.

Durán would be told to lay off the attacking instincts and close his man down. Pardavilla and Mesas were now not in the game at all. They would be asked to dovetail, Pardavilla coming inside and the young striker dropping deeper to play his winger in. The winger still didn’t adapt – we had to make him the focal point of passing in the final third. We had to eke something out of all of our men here.

Joan made it two, just minutes from half time, after capitalising on sloppy defending by the away side. Pardavilla’s cross found him in a sea of bodies and he rolled it along the floor past the ‘keeper.

A switch to a mezzala for David García was on the cards. With the ball swinging to the other flank for Pardavilla, he could mop up the right flank and send Castells on his way. That was the theory. Durán would have to get up the wing when Pardavilla came inside, and Mesas would provide a willing run.

We were being too fancy at the start of the second half and it had to change. We were hitting walls in the Alzira defence, their two defensive midfielders shepherding us well. We had to counter. We had to… hold on… Maestre has been absolutely clattered here. David López went in after the ball is gone with two feet and he’s off! There was absolutely no need. Maestre was in his own box! Alzira have lost their heads! He’s only been on ten minutes. Three more bookings followed. They were on the ropes. Jero still found time to cause us trouble but Querol and Moreno were on the wrong wing and looking to arrow in to those tired defensive midfielders. Miquel was on for the last ten minutes despite our inability to fashion another chance. He replaced Matías and was given a destroyer role.

I really wanted the third goal. Alzira threw themselves in front of every shot. Amador nearly headed the ball in from Moreno’s corner but by now they had five at the back and were looking to get out of Dodge. It was a great win for us, great to hear the home crowd road again, and we had won two on the bounce for the first time all season. Again I met with espnfc.com, this time on best behaviour of course!

[Diego Imposta]

159.

We would spring a surprise on Valencia. Their tried and tested 4-4-2 with a big man/little man strike partnership would be penned back with a 4-2-3-1. David García would occupy their deep playmaker and, in his natural position, have a chance to be the game-changer we feel he can be. We would still be defensive, and Maestre would be even more so to protect Durán. Lorenzo was a changed man in training and earned his jersey back, while Simón was recalled to the bench. It was a long wilderness for captain Querol who just couldn’t not out-perform record signing Pardavilla. The window shuts in a day and we would also have to register the two old heads as central midfield cover if we didn’t get anyone in. At 6:45 in the morning, I instructed my personal assistant to register Aguiar and Masó if we didn’t sign anyone over 23. We contacted Valencia and Barcelona and green-lit the loan moves for Molina and Lederman. By half eight both had arrived, refreshingly without agent representatives, and Vazquez put them through the ringer of their medicals. Lederman was enormous – 196cm – and left footed. It soon became apparent that he was not from Poland but in fact came from Los Angeles.

Within the first minute we were having fun. David García was heavily involved and even Maestre had a shot from distance. We were dominating the ball so it was time to get everyone involved to try and break through that back line. Then came the most unexpected set-back: Lorenzo dropped a routine cross. He saved the striker’s stab at the ball but he couldn’t stop the rebound from his strike partner.

We fought back valiantly and claimed the equaliser within ten minutes. The goal was coming for us. A Durán foray up the left flank released Mesas who again headed in. The guy was unstoppable. 1-1.

Incredibly, from kick-off Valencia took the lead. A deep cross from the halfway line eluded everyone and Damián stuck it in on the volley for his second. 30 seconds later it was nearly 1-3, Lorenzo saving the grace of Badalona with a fine point-blank save. Valencia’s crossing was world class and pinpoint.

Half time came and I was furious. Not with the team but with the luck of Valencia. We had been the better side for long periods. We started the second half appallingly, and should have been five or six goals down inside five minutes. Pardavilla went down injured and Querol came on. It just wasn’t our day, or so it felt. Still, we recovered and began to boss possession again. The wings were out saviour so Simón was on for the tired Castells. We went on the offensive. We knocked on the door so long I thought we weren’t going to do it. But we did. Ten minutes from time Mesas won out in a battle of wills and found Matías’ chipped through ball. We had one substitution left and we had to use it well.

Luis Carlos was on in the hole. Mesas, shattered, would come deep and let the versatile attacker do the running. A wonderful surge from Simón on the right found Luis Carlos pulling away to the right of goal. He took his time, whipped in a cross and… Querol heads it against the far post! Agonising! Did we have anything left? Joan had to get touch-tight to Damián now, Valencia could smell blood. Just five minutes on the clock remaining. They sunk us. The last minute. Two disgusting rapid responses.

We won a corner in the 94th minute. It came to nothing. We attacked in the 96th minute. Maestre hit it toward Querol. The captain took it to the edge of the area, crossing for just anyone at all. It fell to Luis Carlos, man-marked on the penalty spot. Cleared. Throw-in. Corner. Cleared. It was all too late.

It was an exhilarating ride but it was so disappointing. Valencia were not at their best and they still won. I lauded the players for their efforts.

[Diego Imposta]

160.

Lorenzo was brought in for a meeting with Posse, goalkeeping coach Jonathan, and myself. We had to talk about his distribution. He may have been expecting a dressing-down for dropping the ball in the last game but that action alone didn’t cost us the match. Everyone else gets away with mistakes so I wasn’t going to single out the goalkeeper. He was relieved but worried when we produced stats showing how his distribution had played a part in our demise. From now on he would get the ball to our fullbacks rather than trying to find Mesas every time, who would have to beat off two defenders.

Waiting patiently outside was Muñoz, accompanied by player liaison officer Mario Peña. Sending his representative in ahead of him, Muñoz wanted his first-team spot back. Not one for intermediaries, I asked for the man himself. We had differing views on how much he had done to earn his place back but I could see how much it meant to him. He was my first choice left-back and Durán was no more than a stop-gap there while he himself wanted games. As he left happy, Peña warned that Rivas, the young striker, was also desperate for a chance. I said he’d Mesas and Luis Carlos to beat in training.

Cristian was in poor form an I agonised over letting Aguiar back in the side so easily. Instead, Ávila had done enough for his first start in three months. He would be told to stay back at all times so he could get fit quicker. Ángel Luis would retain his spot on the bench. We saw no reason to change our tactics after running Mestalla close last time, although a trip to the league leaders Hércules, who are unbeaten in twelve, would be the biggest scalp of them all. We would not go there to contain them but we would want to get embarrassed either. On the advice of Posse we would keep our discipline and hit them hard in the tackle. Elche put pressure on Hércules on the Friday night and did us a real favour in beating Sabadell 3-0 away. We now had a one point gap ahead of them while Elche were now one behind, although the league leaders had a game in hand. Would much change tomorrow?

A late change to the starting line-up saw Pardavilla drop to the bench as an injury risk. Durán would stay in the eleven after all. It was time to freshen up this squad and get some minutes in their legs.

It was a wet night in Alicante at Jóse Rico Pérez and we had to get our game-plan right. With nothing to lose we had to show the league what we are capable of. An arm around the youngsters got them relaxed and we sent them out to battle. After testing the water with a quick tempo we settled back into our possession-based defensive system. Durán swung a free-kick in and after much confusion in the box Mesas buried it! As the players wheeled away it was ruled out for offside. I didn’t celebrate so thankfully I didn’t look the fool but what a let-off for the home side. With a quarter of the game gone it was the only talking point so far so we urged our men to go for a more expansive play, get it into space and work for each other. An ankle for Matías reversed all of that, with David García back in the double pivot and Luis Carlos brought on in the hole – Querol left at home due to poor training.

With Luis Carlos’ attacking tendencies, we switched to a counter attack for the last ten minutes here.

His free-kick led to the same coming from Hércules and it was the first time they tore us apart. Only a saving sliding tackle from Ávila – who showed incredible pace to get back – saved us from going a goal down. A wonderful diving claim from Lorenzo muted any momentum but the league leaders are there for a reason and they came back strong. We loosened up and abandoned the quick build-up. It brought out the best in Maestre who was having a hell of a game as captain. We would need him to change roles in the second half, though. Coming back out with a defensive mentality that did so well at the start, we would get more support for Luis Carlos with Maestre joining in and Mesas now deep.

After ten minutes top scorer Fernández was hooked, Amador doing a job on him. We would look to get more crosses in to the runs of Luis Carlos but in truth we had barely offered any attack all game.

Hércules were clearly looking to win it from our middle two and hit us on the counter. We pulled the captain back into a defensive role and asked our fullbacks to join in. Luis Carlos would have to sit in a small pocket now and allow Mesas to run as their partnership was ineffective. We would try to win.

We were struggling as we went into the last 20 minutes. On came Simón and Pardavilla in place of a very proud Castells and Durán. They were the future, along with Plà and Rivas, of our attack after all.

For the last ten minutes we would attempt to contain them. Lorenzo beat away another free-kick. It was a testing moment for the ‘keeper after last week. We had to stay strong. A ludicrous 4-2-4 from the home side was really turning the screw in the last few minutes. We decided to hit them with our asymmetric formation to release Simón. But again they came at us. Lorenzo again makes a fine save to push out Salinas’ shot for a corner in the final minute. From the resultant corner that man won a penalty. Joan was adjudged to have shoved their player and we would again lose in the cruellest of fashions. The players’ protests were ignored and Salinas struck it straight down the middle for 0-1.

Mesas had one shot in anger in the third minute of added time but it was all over. It was frustrating.

We saluted the lads’ brave effort in the dressing room and they boarded the bus soon after, happy that despite two defeats on the trot we were headed in the right direction. Atletico Baleares were next and by Monday morning they had sacked their manager. We desperately needed to win down there. We were now four, six, and seven points from Ontinyent, Alzira, and Prat.

[Diego Imposta]

161.

Defender Sergio had been thrust into a caretaker role ahead of any backroom staff, which told us all we needed to know about how Atlético Baleares were run. The man was transfer listed by request. I wasn’t interested in that job, let me tell you. Consequently, we had to guess how they would line up.

Reverting back to our 4-1-2-3 DM Wide formation for the trip to the islands, we took an age over our breakfast to agree on a line-up for the game. Molina and Lederman, the two new loan signings, play for certain as there won’t be a fixture against a team lower in the table for the rest of the season. If the American, who has 11 under-21 caps and a goal for Poland, is played in his preferred attack role in midfield he could be lethal. Molina comes in for Joan, who drops to the bench, and Amador moves to left centre back. David García misses out due to his inability to control games from the middle of midfield. Luis Carlos bested Mesas and earns a start in a traditional striker role instead. If Durán and Castells couldn’t find Mesas in the last game they would have to find the replacement, otherwise the axe would fall on them next week. There were a lot of senior pros missing from this squad at present and Posse felt we had no choice but to include them should we not win this weekend. He was right.

A disappointing thrashing 1-4 at Sabadell for the under-19 team left them in limbo in terms of league position. They are not in any danger at two places and 14 points clear of the relegation zone, so we can say that Marchese has done a good job. However, seven points clear of the team below them or being three and four points behind the three teams in front of them now means complacency awaits so he will have to manage that. Ángel Luis, Plà, and Miquel all played in that game, too. It’s a shame.

We kicked off on the wet grass, the floodlights making for a special occasion. Lederman was looking for Luis Carlos but they weren’t on the same wavelength. It may take a few weeks for the LA native to settle in. Molina was looking sharp and concentrated, always giving the ball to Amador. The game was turning in the home side’s favour as the half wore on. We were simply unable to keep hold of it.

Lederman had a golden opportunity to stick us in the lead when he rose tallest to meet Castell’s pass from the right wing but he blazed it over. As we tried to attack before the half was out, Atlético were pulling us this way and that. A poor touch from Lederman ceded possession on the left hand side of the area and with two passes they had scored. Within five minutes of the second half Molina was an injury waiting to happen so off he came. Joan and Mesas were tasked with saving our season today.

Mesas blazed his shot high and wide after Matías won a header in midfield and Castells released him one-one-one from twenty metres. Luis Carlos was relishing the space in the hole today, a playmaker in his own right. A beauty of a ball put Mesas through but he struck the bar and it fell to a defender.

Sergio took himself off to manage the last ten minutes properly and we were utterly out of ideas. If Mesas had tucked away one of his many chances this evening it would be a very different story. I got Simón on the left wing, coming inside, to try and freshen things up a bit. Matíás went through and I had my heart in my mouth as he agonisingly missed in the last minute. One shot on target all game.

It was a hammer blow to our season as Cornellà beat Sabadell to draw level on points, Sabadell one behind and Atlético Baleares one behind that.

[Diego Imposta]

162.

Molina was out – Joan and Amador were too solid to break up and they didn’t lose their men inside the box. Querol had finally fought his way into the starting line-up and Durán drops to the bench as defensive cover. Lederman was on a mission to make up for his mistake and he would oust Maestre from the team as Matías drops back into a ball-winning role for the visit of 4-3-3- Villarreal B. Aguiar had put in the best shift I’ve seen from him all season and he would start in central midfield with the big American. This would also trigger his one-year extension and I hoped it would be worth it. After eight years in the job, Cornellà’s manager left to take on a mid-table side in B1, apparently in a bid to take the money and run. Meanwhile I waited patiently for the season to be over. It had taken far too long to get going and when we did we have been wildly inconsistent. With the correct budget next season this team should be doing a lot better but for now they are hamstrung by the huge wage bill.

Cristian got his spot back after an injury to Ávila, as Maestre joined the bench in light of Plà’s injury.

A draw for Cornellà and a win for Sabadell earlier in the day meant we slipped down to 18th position. It was our lowest league position for three months. The table had now split in two with 12th to 19th place only separated by nine points, which gave me hope. It was going to be a tight and tense end of the season. Santa Eulalia were 15 points from that group and would probably never come back, too.

I was in a precarious position heading into a tough game. I could only wish that if the chairman had decided to sack me that I could seamlessly jump in at Cornellà or Atlético Baleares and continue my footballing education in the division. Fearlessly I challenged the players to win this one. We bossed the first five minutes so we turned the heat up. A tepid half played out in front of us but we took the game by the scruff of the neck and limited Villarreal to pot-shots. We worked and worked and Posse got us tweaking things every few minutes. Finally we got the breakthrough we were looking for and Querol crossed for Luis Carlos to head in from close range on 40 minutes! A rousing team-talk led us to believe that we could win this. The second half predictably started in Villarreal’s favour and their front three were causing us all sorts of problems. They would eventually score so we had to try for a second. My premonition came true as Velasco struck a 20-metre wonder goal into the top corner.

A triple substitution got Maestre, Simon, and Mesas on. It paid dividends in that we began to really hit Villarreal on the counter and then at will. Lederman went closest with a fierce shot after he was put in by Querol, who was having a great game now. With ten minutes to go this game is anyone’s.

Lederman was really growing into the game and sprayed passes to the wings with ease. We had so many half-chances at build-up play it was unreal but the ball kept on hitting heels, deflecting off two men, or just not falling for our men. Villarreal really should have scored a second at any stage of the half. We carved out some lovely football on the day but really lacked the killer instinct of Mesas with his lack of clarity in front of goal. Too often he found himself in the wrong position. The game, end to end, finished 1-1 but I had my fill of stress. Sure, we had stopped the rot of three defeats but this is no watershed moment. Orihuela next week followed by Sabadell the next – a crunch start to March was on the cards. Could I last the distance?

[Diego Imposta]

163.

There were no big changes in first eleven barring a Castells injury paving the way for Simon and his elder Moreno some minutes before the season is out. The youngster twisted his ankle in training and would be out for five or six games. Molina and David García returned to the bench while Aguiar did not do enough to stay in the matchday squad. Lederman and Matías would sit in front of Maestre.

Noel Mata, the resident press guru, sent an article for my attention: Badalona captain Querol throws support behind Imposta. What? I read on. Apparently Eurosport had been in touch with him and he revealed that everyone at Montigalà was firmly behind their manager and that the team would rally to improve results on the pitch. I was taken aback. It was an honour. Mata told me that Castells, too, looked up to me and that I should do everything in my power to take him with me wherever I went…

We had the chance to move out of the relegation zone with a win today – we expected it from them.

Orihuela bored us to tears. They kept us out and kept their attack at bay. Successive corners around the 20th minute scared us as we just couldn’t clear our lines but the bright midday sun on a wet pitch deserved so much more. Simon was beginning to get some joy down the right flank and looked for a Luis Carlos head or boot every time he crossed it in from the by-line. So it was with disdain that I saw him go down injured again. Moreno was on. We limped to half time with another subdued attacking display despite our total dominance on the ball. The second half started woefully so we changed up.

Querol moved to left back and would attack from there, Muñoz sacrificed for Pardavilla to sit on the left wing. We had to attack. We could not break them down for love nor money. Both sides ended a dour 0-0 with five shots apiece, one on target between them. With the players reprimanded for not being good enough, I walked up the stairs to my office. Miguel Ángel Sanchez was waiting for me. If I thought for one second he was going to sack me I would have walked there and then. He wanted to know whether I was going to relegate his club. What he asked was why I think the team has been so bad lately. We’ve had a difficult run of games lately. Not immediately so, but before that and it has rocked any momentum we got from those back-to-back wins. He didn’t agree. I said things will look better in a month’s time, give me until then. We had to get some points on the board and fast. Posse was first in the door after the chairman left, my right-hand man listening from around the corner the whole time. He said we had to go back to an asymmetric formation, get two up front. We had to get chances to score goals. He was right in that respect but it would leave us wide open in the middle. It was something of a double-edged sword. Diego, he said, you should really send your CV to Cornellà…

They had lost at home to Mallorca, their caretaker missing the chance to score or win in two home games under his guidance. The Atlético boss had got off to a bad start and were now four points off us and fading fast. Sabadell, up next, lost to Prat meaning that five teams were three points apart. So we began the week with a few days off for the squad. They would come in fresh for Friday’s training.

I decided to do the same. It was time for a break. I couldn’t remember the last time I had one. Was it the winter break? Either way, a sense of calm drifted over me as I drove home that afternoon. Some days later I had a phone call from Alejandro Talavera, the Cornellà chairman. He wanted me to have an opportunity to view their proposed vision. So if I wanted to attend I had half an hour to get there!

I arrived outside Espanyol’s stadium, which was easy enough to find, and wondered whether as a fan of Barça this was really for me. I was in enemy territory but Cornellà, situated across the street, were no rival of mine. Their stadium was new and although it only had one side to it, it was so impressive.

It was put to me that it has been suggested that I was under-performing in my role. I was shocked to hear such an opening question but I was honest – I undertook a radical overhaul and that process is about taking your time. I was then asked about why so many players are reportedly unhappy at the club. It was a simple answer: I can’t be held accountable for their personalities or feelings based on decisions I made for the good of the club. There were simply too many professionals on the books.

Was I looking to jump before I was pushed? Wow this guy was really grilling me here. I stood by my assertion that we were slowly turning things around. If I was judged on the final league position then there would be no jumping or pushing. We talked finances, and how I had no control over them, and why I thought I was the right manager to steer the team away from relegation. I was a strong leader and a motivator for my core of players. I pointed to Querol publicly backing me – that doesn’t often happen at this level – and how it was important to keep spirits high when times were tough. He then asked me a question intended to test me. When do you intend to establish yourself as the manager?

Again, I was honest. I’d prefer to join at the end of the season. I need time to build my own team and it’s easier to do that with no pressure in the pre-season campaign. What I didn’t need say was that I didn’t want a relegation on my CV and if they stayed up I’d like to take over. I still wasn’t sure if I did want to take over now, if it was offered to me. I was thanked for my time and after an hour and a bit I headed out the door, still none the wiser. However, one thing had cleared in my mind. 4-4-2 or die!

[Diego Imposta]

164.

Posse made me come to my senses on Friday morning. We would deploy a defensive 4-4-1-1 DM for the game against Sabadell. We would utilise our best players in their preferred positions as much as possible. Matías would be our destroyer, and Querol would sit behind Mesas in his playmaker role.

Muñoz and Luis Carlos were getting heat from the fans so Segura and Pardavilla came in on the left.

A few hours before kick-off Miguel Ángel Sánchez was on record with 90min.com stating that a bad result today could seal my fate, when asked whether the club hierarchy had finally lost its patience.

A partisan crowd roared on the home side in their blue and white quartered jerseys. It was our job tonight to silence them. We were getting bodies behind the ball and crowding Sabadell out when the ball came near our box. How we got forward was vital and Matías showed endeavour to give Mesas a good shot at goal in the eight minute. Roberto showed safe hands but the young boy was just on a warm-up there. We were having too much of the ball later on so we had to tease Sabadell out. They had not had a shot after half an hour. Good work from Pardavilla to win the ball back found Maestre who played a cross field ball to Simón. The hometown hero ran with it, crossed it early, and Mesas did the rest! A towering header into the net from close range and 1-0 to Badalona. At the break we warned against complacency and told them to press Sabadell into a mistake. The rain began to start.

Mesas missed a good opportunity for 2-0 shortly after the break, a carbon copy pass from Matías put him through. Beautiful work from Simón saw him skip past a couple of challenges once we’d stayed back on the counter. Mesas was tripped during the cross and we had a penalty! He smashed it into the top corner for 2-0 and immediately we sat back on the defensive. Segura’s nerves were causing Titi to explore the flank so Muñoz was on. David García replaced the shattered Querol for the final ten. Luis Carlos had done well in training so we got him on for the final five to deal with Titi’s pace.

David García clipped the crossbar with a shot from Simón’s corner. The game was over soon after so the players celebrated wildly. We had done it! In the dressing room I told them that a lot of people had written them off and they’ve proved them all wrong. Well done on a great result for my career!

A gathered press were eager to hear what I had to say. The Sabadell boss Pablo Alfaro had suggested that his pre-match words motivated us to win but I keen to stress that the result of hard work and my preparation were what won us the game, revealing that the players were given three days off in order to be in peak condition for the game. I was asked about my position at Barcelona – is pressure a problem? Well no, I evidently thrive under it. This was all about me and I relished the opportunity.

Again I reiterated that we are staying up and results like these are vindication of that. Having learnt of their rivalry with us this game was extra special. I was keen to move on from the embarrassing set of quotes that came from both managers as we had Alcoyano to think about now – a good football team sitting in the top third of the table. In the next evening I got a call from the Cornellà chairman, who said he had decided against offering me the job. A rookie from Huesca under-19s was given the job instead, presumably in a bid to save them now but cut his teeth next year should they go down.

As Thursday morning came around, it seemed that Pablo Alfaro was in trouble at Sabadell. One win and one draw in ten…

[Diego Imposta]

165.

Building on our superb training performances, the line-up was discussed over breakfast in the club canteen for once. Only Muñoz would be recalled for Segura, who had a poor outing at left back. The bench order would change thanks to tired performances during the week from the elder statesmen.

David García, Moreno, and Cabanillas made way for Molina, Lederman, and Durán. The youngsters would get a rare glimpse of the Autovía del Mediterráneo and the industry either side of Alcoyano. Normally we would take the scenic route around the coast, as is customary in these parts. News of Cornellà’s defeat came through on the way and, buoyed by their failure, we encouraged the players to pick up where they left off. The heat of the night game would not phase them but the form table might - Alcoyano were top. Querol unsheathed his sword of a left foot and sent Mesas through on four minutes and the young striker, from a narrow angle, forced a sloppy save from the goalkeeper.

Pardavilla was the next to send him through, again between their right back and central defender, and as I furrowed by brow the young boy struck the inside of the post and it bounced clear! We had rattled the hosts for sure and now they would dig in and choke us with the ball. Lorenzo would make good on his improved presence at the back and claim the odd cross we forced them into. Amador is nervous out there and fully appreciated his ‘keeper’s efforts. As we entrenched ourselves inside our own box something had to give. We lurched to the last minutes of the half and made it unscathed.

We have been unlucky, boys, but we have to play to the conditions. It’s too wet to keep the ball out there so relax, look for the gaps and the breaks will come. And they did. Within minutes our wingers found space and it was now Alcoyano’s turn to dig in. It was all we had and the minutes ticked away nicely. I would be more than happy to come away with 0-0 but there was still a lot of work to do. Our captain was exhausted but was having such a good game I brought on Luis Carlos to chase down the defence for him. Mesas made way, a victim of his own success now being man-marked by burly men twice his age. Still the home side were kept at bay and still our moves broke down. With ten minutes to go Lederman was on, his height causing actually causing less problems but Luis Carlos was not on the same wavelength as the new signing. Switching to a more conventional blockade, Alcoyano had no answer and we cruised to the final whistle. It was a gratifying performance and another point on the board. We thanked the players for their continued efforts in trying circumstances and made our way out of the stadium as quick as we could. We would be eating into vital sleeping hours otherwise.

As other results went our way, we found ourselves top of the troubled pile, four points from Alzira in 13th and two clear of the relegation zone proper. With eight games left it was still too tight to call it.

An exciting couple of weeks awaited us. Mallorca then Elche at home, second and first respectively in the table. Elche had been on a storming unbeaten run this second half of the season so we would tread lightly but Mallorca were fragile enough this year, not the titan they once were. Montigalà was ready. I was ready. Two defeats and I could probably, unfairly, expect the sack. Since Brachi had got the defensive coaching gig we had conceded more than once on one occasion in eight games. What a difference he had made to the club. It might just keep us up and my career salvageable. The games that followed were eminently winnable. We just had to weather the storm of a two-horse title race. It was humbling.

[Diego Imposta]

166.

The players were excited. Training was excellent. They waited with baited breath on Thursday for news of who would start. We would tear it up. Posse and Álvarez thought we could get at Mallorca and our line-up was selected accordingly. 4-1-2-3 DM Wide on the counter, Segura and Ávila now in at full-back for their height, pace, and earnest performances ousting Cristian and Muñoz from their stupor. The spine stayed the same, with Miquel alongside Matías and captain for the day Maestre in behind. Luis Carlos played his way into the team on the left wing, Simón keeping Querol out of the line-up altogether. He would join Pardavilla on the bench with the return of David García and a few young defensive faces to round out the compliment. We would kick-off late against this big timers.

Results couldn’t have gone much better in our favour. Cornellà took a point from their home clash against Elche which gave us hope for next week. Orihuela, Atlético Baleares, and Alzira drew while a poor Sabadell lost. We could afford to slip up this week and that was a huge relief. Santa Eulalia had just confirmed a relegation play-off at the least with eight games to go but they were 18 points from 19th place as it was. Or 21 points from safety. Or 25 points from us – it was that tight at the bottom.

The pouring rain made it difficult to play. We would try and keep the ball and rough them up without it. Mallorca knocked on the door plenty of times but our defence was firm and tall – they kept us in the game. Our counter was struggling to break away so we had to put our foot on the ball and test them out. We won out for a large majority of the half, a minor scare where a cross looped over our goalkeeper and off the post notwithstanding, but again Mallorca peppered our goal until half-time.

At the break we congratulated the players on yet another half without a goal conceded. Today was not about winning, today was about keeping momentum. Go out there, close them down, and tell them who has a bigger heart! Miquel was clearly enjoying his role as number eight and his running led to a decent chance for Mesas who headed just wide in the first few seconds. Joan was looking uncharacteristically nervous and was hooked, Molina getting vital minutes. A superb move got in the way of the substitution and Simón was relishing the big game here, Miquel spinning webs around a vastly more experienced midfield. Corner. Luis Carlos took it short, played a ball to the edge of the box and Molina, still running towards the box, unleashed a rocket! 1-0! What a volley from the kid!

Minutes later Luis Carlos hit the post from a superb cross from Simón – again released by Miquel – and our tails were up. With over an hour’s superb play, the youngster was off for the experience of David García, who would be tasked with a playmaker role to help us retain possession in the face of an expected onslaught. A massive chance went begging for the visitors as Lorenzo held a free head on goal from a wide free-kick. This was no game for Mesas so Luis Carlos moved up top for the last 15 minutes and captain Querol came on to shore up the left flank. Our game management was just excellent leading up the final whistle. Unfortunately Mallorca were old dogs and came into their own for the last two minutes. A superb counter-attack was snuffed out by Molina but the loose ball was picked up and smashed in at the far post. They had done it in the last minute! Five minutes added on said the fourth official and I was furious. I was about to be even more so. An off-the-ball foul wasn’t given from kick-off and Mallorca went clean through. Disaster. It was an absolute disaster. We had thrown away a winning position in injury time.

[Diego Imposta]

167.

The players were shell-shocked. Could we have done more to stop Mallorca? I don’t think so. Quite what the chairman thought in the last few minutes we’ll never know. He had already left by the time the final whistle came. We were so unlucky and that’s all we could say to them. They appreciated it.

Training was still good this week but heads had dropped. Posse brought the men together Thursday but instead of selecting the side he gave them a verbal pat on the back for the upturn in results since the chairman demanded more from the management team. It was really good to see the bond here – possibly more so than at Olot – and my assistant was flourishing. We were all good managers, even Álvarez – but sometimes you needed to grow with the role. With the players settled, we read out a list of names. Luis Carlos would not retain his place in the starting line-up. The fans were on his back so he would have to show his quality from the bench once again. Castells was fit and ready for bench duty at least but Amador and Joan clung on to their starting places ahead of half-volley hero Molina.

Enzo Marchese was pleased to announce youth intake day and of course I was to attend. The Italian was beaming at the amount of youngsters brought in from the local area and it was easy to see why.

A trio of youngsters with African heritage were at the club because of his much-travelled fitness guru friend Berrocal, a number were acolytes of Brachi’s defensive methods, and a few were even fans of the club and admirers of Marchese himself. The man had done a brilliant job integrating himself into the lives of staff here, learning the language as he went. Posse and I were a little embarrassed to see that we had some fans in the age group! It was decided that we would not risk any eligible players in the match that had played first-team football this season. We had thirty youth players on the books!

The weather was terrible at Estadi de Montigalà but young number six Oliván struck the near post on six minutes after a great knock-down header from a free-kick. Marchese had already suggested he is the cream of the crop. With the youth candidates organised into an interesting 3-5-2, the mixture of part-time schoolboys and youth team players of the under-19s were struggling to break them down.

Baradji did not miss his second bite of the cherry and the youth candidates went ahead on quarter of an hour gone, a good half-volley from a cross to the near post. The Malian-heritage striker had some real speed on him but he would need more than that to succeed here. Small and slight of frame, he needed some rounding out as a footballer to compensate. Oliván, who was also a fan of the club, did a great metronomic job in the middle of the park. This was essentially a first-choice under-19s team.

In the second half both teams set up in a 4-4-2 formation to try and deal with the wet weather, wing play the order of the day. Wing substitutions followed on the hour for the candidates, while centre forward and centre back were freshened up for the senior youths. Ten minutes from time, from the middle of the park Báez struck a long, searching ball behind the candidate’s defence from deep in his own half. García looked to latch on to it, got there, took a few touches in his stride and belted it from outside the area into the goal. What a fantastic, seasoned equaliser from the school boy substitute!

A change in goal and central midfield revitalised the candidates for a while but the game soon went quiet as the boys all accepted the draw. I made my way down to Marchese and spoke into his ear, as not to draw too much attention, asking him to sign up each and every one of them.

[Diego Imposta]

168.

It was important to relax the young trio in the starting line-up. We told them to enjoy themselves as we didn’t demand anything from them today. The games after this double bill were all that matters.

It only took Lolo Plá twenty seconds to receive the ball, turn, and shoot. The man had more than 20 goals this season but thankfully he pulled this one wide. After composing ourselves, Maestre got his shot for the month in by railing one wide from a cleared free-kick. We felt there was scope for runs in between the lines and Maestre pulled a second shot over the bar in similar circumstances. We had to man-mark their striker so Joan would get the nod, his left-footedness suiting the turns of the star.

Ávila pulled down his man on a long ball into the box and we gave away another penalty. Surely the record was ours. Number six Provencio tucked it into the top-right corner on 16 minutes. It was a big ask now. We settled well and decided to get the ball down and play it. Mesas was having a torrid day and kept on coming deep to get some action. A fabulous through-ball by Miquel gave Simón room to shoot but the ‘keeper pushed it wide. From the corner the ball fell again to Maestre. His third strike of the afternoon was telegraphed into the top far corner for the best goal we’ve seen at Montigalà!

Querol, ten minutes from time, pulled his hamstring and we weren’t taking any chances. Maestre is more than a capable deputy and while the captain was down, Posse and I frantically discussed who should come on. We decided that Luis Carlos was the exciting option and he would have come on for Mesas later anyway. Lola Plà got clean of Joan and forced a fine near-post save from Lorenzo just a few minutes from half time. I praised the men for their enduring qualities at the break. Well done all.

Mesas needed to do more. He was asked to run a lot more to shake those two bouncers for Elche at the back. One of them scored. A nothing corner fell to the feet of a centre-back and he popped it in.

A silly booking for Mesas soon after got him the hook. Pardavila was on in his familiar left-flank role while Luis Carlos moved up front. We had to try and keep the ball. And keep it we did. Luis Carlos hid his pass to Pardavila beautifully, the cross came in and Simón finished it off. What an incredible pass from the auxiliary forward. That’s why you keep him in! The man is an enigma for defenders. Clever.

Amador had been superb with the ball at his feet and we needed him in midfield. Miquel could not keep this up all game so Molina was on and in beside Joan. Amador was told to hunt the ball down.

Lolo Plà was away, free in the middle of our half. He didn’t even think twice before sending the ball into the top corner. A screamer from 20 metres. It was a goal worthy of winning the league let alone any game. While the Elche players were still congratulating each other we kicked off, determined to the last. Immediately we drew level! Luis Carlos capping off a fine move with a finish from inside the goalkeeper’s area in his new, searching deep-lying forward role. Pardavila again with the assist that you would expect from a club-record signing. There were fifteen minutes to go and the crowd could only take so much! A disgusting foul on Amador sent Elche free down our right flank. Ávila was on a booking. Benja struck from outside the area and Lorenzo equalled it, sending their ball for a corner.

For the last five minutes Amador was sent to protect Ávila. Again we looked very, very professional as the closing minutes drew near. I demanded that we tighten up this time. Matías was again taken out off the ball and we lost a passing option. Only quick thinking from Segura saved Lola Plà racing on to the loose pass. Lorenzo tipped wide from the next ball high up into the air. Corner. Lolo Plà is there again! Snuffed out by the goalkeeper. Our nerves on the bench are shredded! We have to get better at defending corners. Another five minutes of added time. Pardavila’s down. His hamstring is gone. He was hooked with two to go. Ten men. Six minutes of added time. An enormous challenge in the box from Maestre. Cleared. Into the seventh minute of added time. This league is a fix! Lorenzo claims the ball. An absolute rock at the back. He held the ball as long as he could without getting the referee to book him before dropping it at his feet. Lolo Plà races in and Lorenzo boots it clear! It’s all over! 3-3. What a game we have witnessed at Estadi de Montigalà. We could have beaten both here.

In pulling Pardavila off we had spared his hamstring – he’ll be ok in a few days. Querol was not lucky and would be out for a couple of weeks at least as he looked in a lot of pain. It was clear to me now that Maestre would be captain next season. The man was reborn in the second half of the season. If only we had a striker to compliment the rest of the team, Badalona could be fighting for promotion.

Santa Eulalia confirmed their relegation with a dour 0-0 at home – only their eighth point of the year – and I felt a tinge of sadness for the first time. Eight under my tutelage last season, it just shows you what happens when a corrupt chairman bleeds a club dry. When will the authorities learn? It is lucky that all of the players have been able to move on within a year but it is such a shame for the islands.

Miguel Ángel Sánchez was still nowhere to be seen. He sent an intermediary, assistant Adán Vega, a letter stating that he was delighted to inform me that he was satisfied that I had done my utmost to keep my promise to him. Establishing his faith in me as a manager is vital to my long-term success at the club and he is pleased that I have embraced that. This guy is insane, too, I thought. As a result of the improvements I have made he has decided to cancel any plans to relieve me of my role…

[Diego Imposta]

169.

Matías bruised his thigh in training so would sit on the bench as a precaution. Lederman was moved into the midfield while Pardavila replaced Querol on the left – Luis Carlos would have to be impactful from the bench yet again. In Friday’s session, Amador sustained a lower back stress fracture and his season was over. His performances this season warranted the money spent on a specialist to get him back to his best in time for his holidays. With this in mind, Molina came in and Luis Carlos went in at striker. The entire bench would be young and hungry apart from Saavedra and the returning Matías.

Molina’s last-ditch tackles were a concern so we could ask him to drop deeper to mop up and messy passes. Similarly, Luis Carlos would operate in a support role so that Lederman could spearhead any and all attacks from an advanced position in the double-pivot. Now it was Miquel’s turn to get hit by the injury bug – he’d be out for a few days – so we replaced him with Matías after all. What a mess!

We made our way inland to Zaragoza – a chore to play their B team at the best of times – in time for a midday kick-off. We were seven points behind Alzira now so we had to keep going. Three points off safety was not enough. One desperately unfortunate loss in six was incredible form for us. Kick-off…

The first fifteen passed without incident. I had challenged the players to win here and they were at least concentrating hard. Lederman was spraying passed left and right. He really was a prospect for the club, if we could sign him. After half an hour we looked like the better side. We looked the senior team and around 35 minutes we forced two very good stops from the Zaragoza ‘keeper. Half time is not far away and Matías is absolutely exhausted out there. He will be swapped for Miquel very soon.

An unmarked winger was allowed to volley a chipped free-kick into the roof of the net. It was poor concentration from the defence and all our good work in the first half was undone. We went on the offensive but Miquel went down clutching his calf. Thankful to have Plà on the bench, we got him on for our third midfielder in that role today. Mesas was on after 20 minutes and told to get us the goal.

He did and he didn’t. A brilliant flick-on from Simón’s corner sent Joan towering above his man and hitting the target. What an impact from Mesas! Four minutes on the field and he’s made a difference to the tie. We approached injury time with class – this was again the measure of Maestre. He was an aspiring manager for sure. We knew that if we held the ball we would get one chance to steal it at the end. A scintillating back-heel from Plà inside the box found Mesas but he could only hit it at the goalkeeper. It was the best chance of the game. Again the referee allowed much more than the time allotted by his assistant. I was sick and tired of this so late in the season. Eventually he blew for full time and the lads traipsed slowly off the pitch. They felt sore and tired. Our thanks and praise fell on deaf ears as they just wanted to get home and sleep again.

[Diego Imposta]

170.

The under-19s had survived relegation – now it was our turn. Marchese’s men had cruised to a safe position in his first season and I was sure that he would improve greatly with that year’s experience.

Molina was the next to pull up with a hamstring injury in training and all of a sudden we had a crisis.

Ángel Luis would step in for his first start of the season. The former Real Madrid youngster had not done enough in pre-season to impress me but now was his chance – he had until he got fit to do it.

We would try something different at the top end of the pitch, too. Mesas and Castells would be our wingers for the day, Simón and Pardavilla on the bench along with the long-maligned Cabanillas for some aerial support. Cristian, Muñoz, and Matías made up the rest of the reserves and off we went.

The first of three games in a week that would define our season, Otinyent were under pressure. I did not want to be drawn into a public spat with their manager. Wins for Atlético Baleares and Orihuela earlier in the day really put pressure on us to get at least a point- a win would set us five points clear.

We turned up with a real arrogance. We’d asked the team to express themselves, help us other out in forward positions, and get the win our form deserves. We were behind after 34 seconds. The man up front was put clean through by a ball over the entire team from their centre-back. I don’t think I have seen a worse start to a game. He nearly had an identical second after six minutes. What was it about this place? We were looking very, very poor and totally uncomfortable together with the ball.

I shouted. A lot. This did not look like a team that wanted to win. I had to fire them up for the game.

Cabanillas was on after five minutes. Luis Carlos was looking lost at sea and soon after I decided to throw on Pardavila and Simón. We were getting closer and closer to fashioning a decent chance in the game, and their ‘keeper had to be alert to keep out a deflected Simón shot. Five minutes from time an appalling back-pass from Ávila let Raul González in again and the game was done. No way back from that. It was maybe the worst we had played all season. Raul González got his hat-trick in the last minute of added time. It was another long ball over the top and Orihuela had their first win in six games. Reluctantly, I had nothing to say to them at full-time. Words couldn’t describe it today.

We had basically relegated ourselves with that game. Cornellà and Atlético Baleares won theirs and we didn’t. With four games two go, two in this week, we were in 18th place. It was too tight to call.

A point would get us safe and Cornellà were up next. We quite simply had to win to save my career.

We would lead with an experienced line-up, where possible. The mistakes of the last game learned.

Noel Mata passed me a link to story about the relegation battle. It suitably listed the fixtures for the eight teams who could join Santa Eulalia in relegation. We were looking very fortunate, considering.

The night before the game, I gave the players a dressing down. They’ve made it difficult for Badalona to stay up. It’s up to them to make it easy again. To a man they appreciated the cold words from me.

Aguiar and David García started together in central midfield ahead of Matías. Maestre was in further behind alongside Joan for experience. Muñoz back in at left-back, Cristian on the bench, and a holy trinity up front with Querol, Simón, and Luis Carlos leading the line. Go out there and make it count.

A goal down after five minutes, we had every right to panic. Our current form was atrocious and the injuries to Amador and Molina may have just ripped a hole in our season. It was all too easy for the away side to play in front of our box, set a shot, and see it go in. First shot of the game. Again it’s in.

They had one shot in the first half an hour but they made it count. We just couldn’t fashion a chance.

The rain poured. Seemingly harder than it had ever poured before. The frustrating was growing in an increasingly lacklustre performance. A wayward effort from Luis Carlos, attempting the spectacular, found Simón with years to think about where to redirect it. He chose wisely and we were back in the game. I did not celebrate. The nerves had now infected Cornellà but they had not left us. Half time.

An expressive start to the second half helped. David García and Ávila’s continual nerves on the ball were annoying me so both were off. It was a bold, bold move. Maestre would move out of defence, Ángel Luis in his place, and Matías would sit alongside Aguiar who was having a decent game at last.

We attacked and attacked. Eventually something came off, Querol winning a penalty. It had to go to the hometown hero Simón. He rolled up his socks and struck it directly down the middle. It’s saved!

The tiring Cornellà defence would have to now deal with Mesas. We were turning the screw as each minute went past. As we challenged Matías to get forward he did so with aplomb, releasing Simón down the right to cross for Mesas and… goal! We had done it! The players’ tails were up now and we saw Simón’s mazy dribbling skills a few minutes later. He crosses… penalty! Matías was felled! Surely we have to choose someone else now. Mesas. Who else? Saved! This is unbelievable. My poor heart.

We simply had to hold on. A clever step-over by Simón bought us time to clear a rare Cornellà attack and Mesas slowly dribbled into space. Querol won a corner although he was looking for another one of those penalties, just to make sure. Excellent tackle. Into the last minute of allotted injury time and Maestre joined a counter to head the ball over with our best chance of the game. It is still not over!

Finally the whistle went. The dressing room was a wild place. Simón carried on shoulders. Posse was enjoying it more than most, re-enacting penalties with rolled-up socks. What a team player. What a result. Wow.

[Diego Imposta]

171.

Training was particularly poor ahead of the crunch game away at Santa Eulalia. We simply had to get three points against the worst team in the league. It was effectively our game in hand on our rivals.

Experience was key here. Although a concession was made to get Ángel Luis in at the back because of Maestre’s suspension for accumulating bookings, Moreno was the man brought in to deal with a gap in the middle of the park. Miquel, incredible a few weeks ago, was on the bench and he would be joined by our two stand-out performers in training Luis Carlos and Pardavila. Mesas had done the business last week so keeps his place, as does Querol by default for being captain without a deputy.

It was time to reflect on a strange year; Barcelona and Real Madrid were ten points adrift of Atlético.

The title in Segunda B3 was now a four-way stramash with three games to go. Hércules and Elche hit the top, separated by goal difference, with Mestalla and Mallorca three points behind. Nine points is the cushion they have on the rest of the league so they play-off places are sewn up. It’s about pride.

Sabadell and Atlético Baleares saw out a nervy 0-0 which did neither team any favour, especially the former who had to play with ten men for most of the game – my old charge Carlos Selfa guilty as sin.

In a slight change of proceedings, Moreno would be tasked with a deep playmaking role as we saw Santa line up with three central attacking midfielders throughout the season. We needed bodies in behind that trio if we weren’t to slip up here. I felt very cocky indeed strolling out into this dugout…

Fifteen minutes in and we’ve barely had a sniff. We just couldn’t get the ball of them! Six shots in the first 20 minutes without reply. What is happening out there?  Half an hour goes by before their eight shot makes me lose my cool. Querol then missed from point-blank range after a delicious cross from Simón, who was released by Moreno. Mesas pumped it back in and Querol forced a flying save from the goalkeeper. Moreno sent Mesas on a chase and he won it but scuffed his shot wide. Santa were into double figures for shots now and should have seen us dead and buried, unable to come back in.

Matías was asked to keep hold of the ball at half-time – everyone around him was losing their heads.

As a result Moreno had to get further forward and it soon worked a treat. Joan popped a ball up for Mesas to latch onto on the left-hand side of the box. He took a touch, looked up, and saw Simón at the far post. A perfect cross found our man and he headed in. Finally we could relax. It wasn’t game over but we were starting to wrestle back possession. We dropped back, ready to see gaps open up.

The game had passed Aguiar by so bright young thing Miquel was on, his understanding with Simón a thing to behold. I took a big risk and hooked the inexperienced Ángel Luis for Segura’s presence in the back line. The youngster had been booked and was starting to look leggy. I would expect long or high balls into our back line for the rest of the game. He would drop a little deeper to get loose balls.

Segura sent an exquisite ball into the path of Querol down the left flank. The header from Mesas hit the near post and bounced clear. Fifteen minutes to go. Luis Carlos on for Simón, asked to come in.

Very nice play from Santa, maybe the best move of the game, got them near our box but not into it.

For the last ten minutes we’d drop a little deeper, looking for one last counter attack to finish it off.

We didn’t get the chance to make the change. Santa Eulalia scored. A long ball found their man and it was 1-1. Their seventeenth shot of the afternoon followed and we were dead in the water again.

Their eighteenth shot followed that and Lorenzo had to scramble to keep out a screamer from a full thirty metres. The nineteenth whistled just wide from the third successive corner. What is this here?

Luis Carlos and Mesas were swapped in the hope of igniting something. In the 88th minute the striker danced his way around two midfielders and started the counter attack. Mesas desperately burst into the box from the right wing and even Matías was steaming in behind. Luis Carlos made for the left of the box. He crossed for Mesas along the ground and… goal! Amazing! Incredible! How did that work!

Five minutes of added time. Could we all keep our cool? How many minutes are being played today?

Segura leapt like a salmon to clear another long, high ball from danger. The headers after that fell to Mesas who dutifully kicked the ball into the far corner. Its over! What an underserved crucial victory.

That, lads, was a bit of a let-off. We weren’t good enough and we have to step things up next week…

Five points clear with two games to go. A huge loss for Alzira sees us in the dizzy heights of 13th – the best position we can get this season. Losses for everyone else sees us both five clear. Five sides are now battling for the three relegation spots. But it isn’t over yet. We are not mathematically safe yet.

We now have two home games against local opposition to finish the campaign. Hospitalet and Prat, 10th and 11th in the league, 10th and 11th in the away table, it was a joy to face something so average.

We had two weeks to prepare – and it felt good that there was not a crunch game in sight. We could almost relax, knowing that one point from two games would be enough – maybe even no points if a miracle happens. Vázquez informed me that Molina would be fit for these final two games, as would Masó should I wish to include him. Two weeks of ball control – fun – training was announced to the squad. As we walked away, Miguel Ángel Sánchez appeared. Diego, we need to talk improvements…

What did he mean by that? If he expected more improvements then… we want to discuss your new contract, he interrupted. Meet me in my office, he said. I’m not entirely sure I wanted to. I followed, while Posse stayed behind.

[Diego Imposta]

172.

Diego, we would like to gauge your opinion on whether discussing a new contract for you would be well-received at this point in time. The guy was a politician, all right. I told him that the club would be better off investing the money that this would cost into their potential improvements – a sly dig at his wastefulness in the transfer market the year previous. He had the cheek to ask me what they should do with the funds! I told him he needed to reinvest into the playing budget to keep players.

The penultimate squad pick then. I met with Posse and Álvarez in our favourite spot in town, where no-one knew who we were. A humble two-seater table with three of us crammed around out, with our coffees in hand and paperwork scattered before us. Could we afford to be sentimental with this?

Ávila would win back his place from Cristian, Molina was recalled alongside them with Ángel Luis on the bench, and Saavedra would be left out entirely. Plà had earned a rare start with a technical show of class during the two weeks, Aguiar making the bench. Maestre returns into the lynchpin position and a good showing from Matías last week keeps his place, Moreno dropping out entirely. Querol is missing while Rivas gets a call to the bench. The young striker hasn’t featured for months. Simón is given a left wing role to get Castells in the side – both were exemplary in their battle in training for the same jersey. Ahead of the match we asked them not to get caught up thinking that they needed a win to stay up. The pressure wasn’t coming from us but a few senior members of the squad didn’t agree. They expected more pressure considering that we shouldn’t have been here at this stage of the season. I was taken aback – if they had shown that passion earlier in the season we would be ok!

Cornellà and Alzira both lost in their early kick-offs. There was potential for daylight for us here, lads!

After a tunnel interview questioning my line-up, Matíás got us going with a direct ball into Simón and the throw was taken quickly. This was not a game to be enjoying the occasion. My players prepared.

We were really enjoying out football in the opening stages. Hospitalet didn’t have much to answer and ended up digging in. Their one chance was scored, however, and we found ourselves behind on the half hour mark. Plà played in Castells five minutes from half-time and the young winger clipped the post with his shot. We were getting better but still Hospitalet had one shot and they scored that.

Joan was very unlucky to miss his volley from Simón’s free-kick on the hour mark. Simón was back on the right wing after Castells took a knock to the head. Pardavila was on to show us what he could do.

A frustrated Mesas made for Rivas, who as told to run as much as he could. We couldn’t buy a shot.

Simón was now off, Luis Carlos an inside forward on the right. Maestre cleared a ball out to Rivas, an unmarked forward in the Hospitalet half, and he did not wait for support before blasting the ball out.

The game petered out – we just couldn’t get a shot for the rest of the game. It didn’t matter. Atlético Baleares were the only team below us to win and we had secured survival. They had three points on the rest of the teams and were almost certainly safe. We could finish anywhere between 13th or 15th.

It was important to look forward to the final game of the season with pride. We wanted a good last game for Moreno. He was a good player in his day and an important bit-part in the early stages of a season which were very difficult. Saavedra and Masó also announced their retirement in the week so they would also play a part in the Estadi de Montigalà celebrations.

[Diego Imposta]

173.

Saavedra would sandwich a youthful backline of Ávila, Ángel Luis, Molina, and Segura behind those of Maestre, Moreno, and Maso. Luis Carlos, Querol, and Cabanillas would lead the line while bench duty was loaded with in-form youngsters. Simón and Pardavila were rested, as were Cristian, Muñoz, Matías, Aguiar, David García, and Rivas who would all be here next year. It was all about send-offs.

It’s all over to you now. Have a good one tonight! Prat got us underway and clearly fancied a game.

Confusion from a cleared free-kick let Prat counter with ease. The ball was in the back of the net so soon we didn’t have time to process who was to blame. It was devasting, the speed they used on us.

Masó then played in Cabanillas wonderfully to look for the immediate equaliser but the shot is held.

Now it was Querol’s turn to send the striker through but he was ring-rusty and again forced a save.

Prat just had men where we didn’t and the ball fell to them every time. We were desperate to play football and when we pushed our line up and took our time with it we were rewarded. Moreno slid a delightful pass into Masó who fired in at the near post. Two retirees combining for their swan-song!

Our lead lasted a minute, Prat scoring from a corner. Four missed headers at the back sealing it for the game of head-tennis for the visitors. The second half would start brightly, with Masó and Luis Carlos asked to come forward and cause havoc. The incredible pace and industry of Prat made this and there wasn’t much anyone could do to stop this nine-ten partnership. Before we knew it, it was four. Two goals in the first twenty minutes of the second half and Prat were flying. It was excellent.

Lederman, Plà, and Mesas were on for the midfield and striker positions. Moreno and Masó got the standing ovation their careers deserved while Cabanillas was allowed to soak it up ahead of his exit.

A deflected Querol shot gave us hope at 2-4 down and 20 minutes to go. We had our chances, too.

Right up until the very last whistle we kept trying to create and I think the fans appreciated that. If we had scored half of them we would have won but that is football. I couldn’t fault any of the men’s performances – it was just one of those days. As we got back to the dressing room we realised that there had been no change in the league positions. We had finished 13th! Everyone below us lost, so it meant that Orihuela had the play-off, Atlético Baleares were safe, and Cornellà, Ontinyent, Sabadell, and Santa Eulalia were gone. Elche clinched the title with a 4-1 win over Alzira which did us a favour!

We celebrated long into the night but had to remain professional until the end of the season. Posse took training while I set about sorting out a lot of paperwork for the next incumbent. My staff knew I did not want to stay but we would wait until the play-offs were decided before jumping ship. An end of season party was well-attended, with Mesas picking up most of the awards. I challenged the team to finish in the top half next season but they didn’t seem up for that fight. They were happy with the same again and for that reason it cemented my desire to leave. A speculative application to Girona is all the excitement I had in the weeks following. They had been relegated from Liga Santander so the next season would be very difficult. I didn’t think I had much chance of staying in the Catalan region.

Similarly, Nástic’s manager left and I threw my hat in the ring for that too. Why not? I had no chance.

down to Elche and Mallorca. Miguel Ángel Sánchez teased me by more than tripling the budget for next year. I wouldn’t have to get rid of anyone and I could even bring in a few more. Surely this was not sustainable? He again asked me to consider signing a new contract. Was he worried or grateful?

If I cut the wage budget to double what I was planning on operating with, I would have a million euros to spend. How can this be? What investment has he secured? We were haemorrhaging the honey pot all year and were now two years in a row losing one and half million euros. I’m shocked!

Hang on, Miguel. Let me work this out. You should have told me the budget before we finished the season. Let me look at who I would have offered contracts to with that kind of money. This is not the day I do things. The players were now on holiday and I would have to call them up for contract talks.

We start at the top. Querol was the only highly influential player who’s deal was running out. He was aware of his place in the team and offered to take a pay cut – which we couldn’t have afford just one week ago – and stick around as a backup player. With a few tweaks to his demands I could sign him.

Maestre and Simón still had a year and had no interest in talks so I moved on to Lorenzo. He led the second tier of hierarchy and saved our skin on more than one occasion. His reward was an offer of a three-year deal as backup, again for a pay cut, but he had proved his worth to me and now we had a goalkeeper in reserve that I knew I could rely on and that was priceless. Pardavila and Matias were happy to sign new deals and I told them that I was soon be able to do so. The under-19s were tidied up so that they had 22 players, target man Eduard and mezzala Xavi Molina being too old next year.

Miquel, Castells, and Durán simply had to be signed up at all costs. In some cases they were offered double their money. Luis Carlos had his option triggered and all of a sudden we looked like we had a very strong 22 or 23 man squad. We needed a goalkeeper and two central defenders once all of the younger players had filled out the second eleven. There was also the small matter of a striker to get.

Three of the four could be over-23. We made an enquiry for 17-goal 17-year-old José Manuel Mesas. He cost Deportivo € 325k…

[Diego Imposta]

174.

As we began negotiations, it became clear that all issues were non-negotiable. The training facilities, the scouting range, the data analysis – all improvements were rebuffed. He was saving his money for wages and transfers. That was final. I told him that I could not now talk about extending my contract.

With one month to go I decided to sign Vallés on for another year as understudy to Lorenzo after all.

Fourteen players were released early, including the loan trio, and if we loaned out target man youth Eduard we had 22 players for the first team. If we managed to sign the two defenders we had 25 and if we got that striker in the door we had 26. If the two youths went on loan and we didn’t sign centre backs, we still had to buy a striker to replace Mesas to keep the squad at 22. The hunt began while I let the chairman sweat. Posse and I agreed that we should bring back Toscano. David García was set to struggle this season and we needed someone who could cover him and play up front too. Maybe we just needed one central defender as Joan was good to play. There are six weeks until pre-season.

I bumbled through four of them, waiting for the administrative year to end. I had done enough here and even called up Querol to ask him to take Toscano out for dinner so that he has a friendly face to see when he turns up at training. Eduard and Xavi Molina were told they should go on loan on their return as they needed to bridge the gap between playing for the under-19s and the senior squad. It seemed that everything was set. The club had never been in better shape. Maybe this time I would leave a club and they would not get relegated the following season! They had a million-euro buffer…

The Llagostera job became available. I would apply a fourth time. They were to be the only side from Girona’s region in the division after no representation last year. Perelada, Olot, and Llagostera had a taste of relegation each and now Girona were in Liga 1 2 3 as well. It was time for me stop to the rot.

Isabel Tarragó finally gave me the chance to speak with her. We talked about my ambition, my focus on short-term success. I spoke about my desire to manage Llagostera and see those Catalan colours on the badge as the team strode out in hooped Barça colours. They weren’t just a seaside team from the regions – their five promotions in seven years got them to B3 and made them the favoured sons of the Costa Brava. A couple of seasons in Liga 1 2 3 just before I started my management career had only cemented the local support – they could expect two to three thousand spectators a game when the town of Palamós had a population of less than ten thousand. People came from far and wide for Llagostera and I wanted to continue that. I left feeling like I had poured my heart out to Isobel. Just for a chance to manage this exciting club. Oriol Alsina, former coach and partner of Isobel Tarragó, is to step aside as coach once more after guiding them back up to Segunda B3 last season. Things had been tumultuous since my director of football Oscar Álvarez had left a few years ago and I could tell he had spoken to her about me. These strange connections in football get your foot in the door, that is for certain. A few days later, sifting through Valencian Tercera interest for Eduard and Xavi Molina, Isobel Tarragó called to discuss my contract. I was ecstatic! The money wasn’t great but she offered me a two-year deal. She had that much faith in me. I said I couldn’t take a pay cut but I will meet you in the middle. Pay me what I’m on now and I’ll waive any pay rise. Deal.