A Segunda on its own merits: the conclusion and history of Almería-Elche
Elche CF sealed their fate this Tuesday, sending Almeria down to the Second Division. The result fits the broader pattern of a season shaped by a set of persistent issues, and it stings deeply in the franciverde community because what began as a special year to mark the club’s 100th anniversary seemed poised to raise expectations for bigger, more ambitious targets.
The club’s first major setback since Christian Bragarnik, the Argentine investor who acquired the majority stake from José Sepulcre in 2019, became central to the narrative. Critics argue that Bragarnik’s series of decisions failed to stabilize the project throughout the campaign.
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Elche’s seven deadly sins in this campaign were:
1- Poor and delayed planning. Although the team avoided relegation by a heartbeat last year and had a coach, Francisco, who earned the loyalty of the fans, Bragarnik spent the following three months reshaping the squad. Last-minute signings persisted, and pre-season did not feature the essential additions some players expected. Late arrivals like Lirola, Domingos Quina, Álex Collado, Nico Fernández, and Fede Fernández joined as the season began or was already underway, not aligning with the coach’s preferred plan. Mascarell’s renewal also dragged on, and the Canary Islands-born player joined training late.
During the friendlies Francisco had to manage a large pool of players, many of whom would not be regulars. That affected physical conditioning and resulted in a squad that struggled to peak at the start of a tough campaign against teams with considerable resources. Almería’s coach had to adapt as the season progressed.
2- No solid reinforcement in defense and midfield. Although Francisco managed to bolster a unit that looked steadier at the end of the previous season, the central defensive position remained fragile. A respected head of defense did not arrive to provide the necessary leadership, allowing the situation to develop over time.
Bragarnik opted to replace Diego González. Enzo Roco, in the final year of his contract, did not perform at his best in his first Elche season. Verdú, despite professionalism and effort, found it hard to adapt to the top tier due to age. Pedro Biga’s injuries also disrupted continuity. The only defensive midfielder brought in during the summer was Fede Fernández, returning after a long layoff.
In the midfield, there were few players capable of organizing play and supporting the team. Collado was asked to play this role but quickly faded from the core plan. Domingos Quina offered more of a stopgap than a genuine boost, while Pastore and the largest shareholder appeared dazzled by a farewell performance from the previous season, despite medical reports that warned he wasn’t in peak condition for a demanding league.
The winter market underscored the challenges with Quina, Fede Fernández, and Pastore departing as a sign of the roster’s instability.
3- Overreliance on last year’s base. Bragarnik assumed improvement could come from the same core plus minor changes. Many players had shown themselves to be at best in the prior year, and some were simply beyond their peak. The age profile of several squad members also betrayed a decline in performance compared with the previous season. The departure of Mojica, a player deemed essential for the team’s late-season push, marked a turning point once the season had already begun.
That fragile foundation collapsed as transfers failed to deliver the expected lift.
4- Poor coaching choices. The club’s owner did not fare well with managerial decisions. Patience with Francisco wore thin amid an underwhelming pre-season and an early stretch of results that failed to improve decisively. The remedy appeared worse than the problem; Bragarnik reappointed a less risky but controversial choice, Jorge Almirón, despite a difficult past, then shifted to Pablo Machín, whose improvements were not enough to steady the ship. The sequence culminated with Sebastián Beccacece, a move that risked the next season from the outset.
5- No reinforcement in the winter market. Even when chances to buy failed, the winter window did offer a small margin. With the World Cup break, some recruitment did occur, but the signings did not alter the trajectory enough to avert relegation.
6- Arbitration setbacks. Not all misfortunes were in the executives’ hands. Some refereeing decisions went against Elche, diminishing points tallies early on and in key matches. A number of penalties were not awarded or were denied in crucial moments, and disallowed goals altered potential outcomes, subtly steering the campaign away from a stable course.
7- Overall imbalance in both areas. The core issue remained a lack of effectiveness in attack and insufficient strength at the back. Elche scored 25 goals in 33 games, the fewest among the top division teams, making it hard to win games when scoring under one goal per match, and allowing nearly three goals per game in certain stretch points. Those figures starkly contrasted with rivals who found more firepower and greater consistency, underscoring the uphill climb to safety.
The season’s fate is the result of a layered set of issues rather than a single misstep, and the relegation triggers a broader re-evaluation within the club’s leadership and strategy.
Elche later issued statements of heartbreak and contrition regarding the relegation, reflecting the emotional weight of the campaign and its consequences for the club and its supporters. This round of disappointment will likely catalyze further discussions about the direction of Elche in the years ahead.
References: internal club analysis and contemporary reporting. [1] [2]