Julen Monreal, a central defender for Alcoyano, entered the winter market with the label of a significant reinforcement. An unfortunate groin issue cut into his playing time, and the favorable run of form from his teammates meant his minutes in the first part of the season were scarce. The Navarrese player joined Alcoyano last summer amid expectations that his presence would strengthen the squad, especially when paired with coach Vicente Parras. His previous stint at Ontinyent had built a reputation for solidity, and there were hopes that this experience would anchor Alcoyano’s defense during a difficult period marked by debt and instability at larger levels of Spanish football.
Alcoyano’s mid-season ticketing strategy revealed a price range from 90 to 165 euros. The club hoped the new arrangements would help stabilize finances while providing the squad with flexibility to address gaps in personnel and balance the squad’s competitive profile for the remaining fixtures. In the league, Monreal’s groin problem persisted well into the season, forcing the coaching staff to rely on some earlier formations. With Primi Ferriz and José María Pérez, known as Farru, forming the most repeated central pairing under Elche’s manager, the plans to substitute became a sensitive topic. If no away game disrupted the schedule this Sunday, a potential parting could be explored at El Collao, where a clash against Antequera was scheduled for 16:00.
Five points separate Deportivo from the relegation zone, underscoring the club’s urgency to optimize every squad slot and secure reinforcements that can contribute to stability and a safer standing as the season progresses.
Alcoyano regains its pulse
The club’s former players returned to the story as Alcoyano recalibrated during January’s transfer window. The season had highlighted a narrow margin in the defensive line, with only a few dependable performances and a need for greater consistency at the back. The defense had previously been assembled around Edu Campabadal and Pablo Carbonell, while Sergi Garcia, another familiar face, had left the club. The turnover reduced the shared pool of options and created a clear chance for the sports commission to redistribute resources toward strengthening the frontline, a persistent concern for Vicente Parras. The last stretch of the campaign demanded more firepower, and the team looked to address this through strategic player movements that aligned with their long-term aims and immediate survival in the competition.
The January window allowed Alcoyano to reorganize the central defensive duties around three specific performers, freeing up a valuable roster space for a different kind of reinforcement. The coaching staff and the sports commission concentrated on maximizing this free slot to bolster the attack, which had been a notable weakness in the first half of the season. At that point, only Jean Paul remained on loan from Hércules through the end of the campaign, highlighting how the squad depended on a limited loan pool to sustain performance. The club’s approach was not simply about patching gaps but about rebalancing the squad to sustain a longer fight in the league.
With 15 goals in 18 league days, Alcoyano stood out as one of the teams facing the most serious challenges in breaking through opponents’ defenses. That figure underscored the need for a more potent attack to complement a potentially tighter defense. Deportivo, for their part, had struggled to pierce the opposition goalkeeper, going through a stretch of ten matches without finding the net, a statistic that reflected both teams’ difficulties and the broader context of the league’s competitive dynamics. The balance between defense and offense remained a delicate beacon for Alcoyano as they navigated the second half of the season, seeking to convert defensive solidity into tangible results at the other end of the pitch.