Elche-Racing de Ferrol, the schedule of the league premiere of the Elche team on TV and where to watch it
Elche CF faces a demanding test as they host Racing de Ferrol in the league opener, a match slated for Saturday with kickoff at 22:00 local time inside the Martinez Valero stadium. The Galician side is returning to the second tier after a 16-year absence and is determined to build a solid foundation in LaLiga with an eye on stability and growth.
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Businessman Ignacio Rivera, the head of Riverabeer and the force behind the Star Galicia group, took the reins of the club in 2017 as Ferrol worked to return to professional football. He entrusted sports management to Carlos Moriz and surrounded the project with experienced partners, including Tino Fernandez and Pepe Chamorro, to provide financial strength through the Elite Group for a club that was then in the third tier.
Rivera’s approach followed the successful model he had implemented at CD Lugo. Mouriz brought his proven playbook from A Malata, adapting it quickly to Ferrol, a city hit hard by economic shifts in the maritime sector. For years the area’s fate has revolved around Navantia’s shipyards, and the community now looks to football as a source of pride and renewed energy.
Ferrol earned promotion to the First Federation in due course, but the long-sought return to professional football came only last season. Rivera understands the financial benefits that even a bronze tier system offers to clubs and uses that insight to drive ambitious, sustainable growth. The campaign sparked a wave of enthusiasm in the Galician town, and the club’s board lowered subscription prices while setting a bold target of reaching 7,000 subscribers — a figure that was within reach and symbolic of a community rallying behind its team.
Christopher Parralo continues to lead the squad, preserving a core group that helped secure promotion to the Second Division at the end of March. While promotion is celebrated, it also means the club must reinforce the squad with depth and experience, a move Ferrol has addressed by assembling a slate of eleven seasoned players to strengthen the roster for the new level.
Among the newcomers is Elche’s Alvaro Gimenez, who joined Ferrol after leaving Cadiz and contributing at a high level in recent seasons. He is joined by Victor Moya, known as Chucha, who helped Ferrol rise from the fourth tier to the second and previously played for Elche in the 2018-2019 season. Moya returned to Spanish football after stints in Poland with Wisla and Cracovia Miedz and will be part of the Martinez Valero tilt this Saturday. Manu Justo, a loan player who has long been part of the Elche system but had not yet made his official debut, was instrumental in Ferrol’s ascent last season.
Other new signings include Moi Delgado from Ponferradina on the left, Julian Delmas on the right, Naco Sanchez from Real Union, Josep Year who previously played for Lugo, Iker Losada from the Celta youth ranks, Emilio Bernard, a Valencia academy product at Sabadell, Enrique Clemente on loan from Las Palmas, and two goalkeepers, Ander Cantero from Eibar and Sergi Cubero on the right side.
Ferrol also celebrated a strong pre-season, remaining undefeated through five matches against Galicia Murgados (4-0), Villabés (5-0), Ponferradina (2-0), Pontevedra (5-1), and Castilla (2-1). The team did not suffer a defeat, signaling a cohesive and confident unit ahead of the league’s opening weekend.
As the two sides prepare to clash at Martinez Valero, the atmosphere in Elche and Ferrol reflects the broader dynamics of a season poised to test character, resilience, and ambition. The Elche squad, building on a solid foundation, seeks to translate positive pre-season form into league points. Racing de Ferrol pursues continuity at the higher level, leveraging a strengthened squad and a communal sense of purpose that has grown since their promotion. Fans from both cities will be watching closely as the curtain rises on a campaign that could redefine the trajectories of these two clubs in the early stages of the season.
Racing de Ferrol’s supporters will be hoping to witness a repeat of their preseason momentum on matchday one, while Elche fans await a home performance that signals the club’s intent to challenge the top half of the table. The weekend showdown promises to be a competitive encounter, with Ferrol aiming to maximize their star power and Elche seeking to start with a win in front of their home crowd. The league premiere marks not only a test of tactics but also a statement of intent from two clubs entering a pivotal phase of their respective journeys.