Check the matches from the start. Of all New Year’s resolutions, this is the one Hercules must meet if it wants to finish the course that leads to direct promotion. They began by losing more than half of their 17 matches this season, including 10 away games, among them the Copa del Rey match against Burgos. Seven away games and three at Rico Pérez form a clear pattern: the moment the home side fails to seize the opener, the path back to victory grows steeper. This is a vivid reminder that being behind on the scoreboard shapes every outcome yet again.
Home confidence signals a brighter future for a much-discussed league, where the top three are separated by just four points. There is one day remaining until the end of the first round. Hercules has the chance to surpass the leader on Sunday. Lleida has claimed eight league wins at Camp d’Esports, the venue where the blue and white squad will return this weekend, adding weight to their home-field advantage. [Source: club records]
Hercules drop 60 percent of their points when an opponent scores first. Across 17 disputed dates, they have led only seven times, including once in the Copa del Rey. That means they have spent more than a dozen matches chasing the result, a recurring theme that tests the team’s resilience and tactical patience. [Source: match reports]
Analysis | Champion Hercules’ stretch marks
While analyzing the run, the team’s responses when trailing come into sharp focus. In the 10 games where Hercules started behind on the scoreboard, they managed to overturn the deficit only three times, all at home: at Santa Eulalia against Peña Deportiva; in Paterna versus the Valencia reserve side; and in Sant Miquel de Balansat against Penya Independent. The rest of the records show three draws and four defeats, underscoring the difficulty of closing gaps quickly on foreign turf. [Source: season statistics]
negative numbers
They have accumulated 12 of their 30 points this season and missed 18, implying a 60% miss-rate when trying to reclaim lost ground. Both Lleida and Europe do not offer any room for mercy to visiting sides. Rubén Torrecilla’s squad conceded two draws in the league against Alzira and Badalona Futur just before the winter break, a sign that consistency at both ends of the field is essential moving forward. [Source: league summaries]
They also lost to Burgos in Alicante and left the competition trophy-less. Three situations share a common denominator: when the score was 0-0, the opponents moved ahead first. Now, as the season reaches its halfway point and energy needs to be managed to reach the final, the focus on competition management becomes crucial to avoid extra exertion later. [Source: tactical reviews]
The last day of the first round will be played in full this Sunday
The winter champion will be decided on the final day of the first round, with all matches scheduled for Sunday at different times. Hercules will also host Lleida at Camp d’Esports, arriving 60 minutes earlier than originally planned. This will crown the best team of the first tour, a title that carried no tangible trophy but delivered a strong morale boost. The schedule includes the three other meetings with top clubs, namely Badalona Futur-La Nucía and Espanyol B-Europa, all set to begin around the same window. [Source: league calendar]
The 17th match day, the first of 2024 and referred to as the Apertura Cup in Argentina, begins at 11:00 with the Formentera-Cerdanyola clash. This edition takes place on King’s Day, with the Copa del Rey taking center stage on Saturday as six ties are scheduled in the 32nd round. Arandina-Real Madrid is listed for the night game. [Source: fixtures overview]
PROGRAMS
Second RFEF | Group 3 | DAY 17
Sunday, January 7, 2024
► Formentera-Cerdanyola 11:00
► Torrent-Penya Independent 12:00
► Sant Andreu-Andratx 12:00
► Peña Deportiva-Terrassa 12:00
► Manresa-Alzira 12:00
► At.Saguntino-Mestalla 12:00
► Badalona Futur-La Nucía five in the afternoon
► Espanyol B-Europa five in the afternoon
► Lleida-Hercules five in the afternoon