Homework finished. And well done, you might say. Eldense has reached the championship milestone in the Second Division with 26 points. After a bumpy yet balanced opening run of 21 matches, the team recorded six wins and eight draws, with goals coming in three of every five games. Promotion remains within reach, closer in points to the playoff positions than to relegation.
The task is completed and the squad, along with the coaching staff, will resume training just over a week after the last match yesterday against Albacete, which ended 1-1.
Ortuño got a point at Albacete
In what was a gritty, inch-by-inch performance, Eldense managed to secure a draw on the road, reinforcing the notion that every point counts in this tight league. The result highlighted the team’s resolve as they navigated a challenging away assignment with resilience and discipline.
Complex starts in 2024
A difficult start to the new year awaits, with a return to action against up to five potential challengers in the opening six league games. The first of these fixtures pits Eldense against Real Zaragoza at Nuevo Pepico Amat. The schedule also features encounters with Espanyol and Huesca, two of the league’s heavyweights, setting a demanding early run for the team.
The approach will be incremental. Fernando Estévez’s squad returns to league play and hosts a Zaragoza side that endured a rocky start to the season but has since stabilized enough to see managerial changes, signaling a program in flux. The match is set for Monday, January 15.
Next on the slate is a home game against a team currently in a relegation position. That opponent, Amorebieta, stands as the lone “no-name” adversary in the Primera because Espanyol will then face Elda, a side in a playoff position boasting one of the league’s best squads, on the final weekend of January.
The upcoming match is scheduled for a home date with Oviedo, a club that has lost only once on its own turf and emerged with a 3-2 comeback victory over Elche. That fixture will kick off the first weekend of February. Following that, Eldense will shift focus to back-to-back away games before turning attention to Huesca, a club still capable of posing a real threat in front of goal despite not being at their peak.
Finally, Eldense will need to head to Tenerife, another club aiming for a swift return to the First Division. The upcoming stretch promises a demanding level of competition and will test Eldense’s motivation and cohesion just as the season resumes its second half.