Liga Ginense (Domestic Newswire - Closed)

[San Gines]

Liga Ginense

The premier class of football in the Principality of San Gines, currently known as the Liga TeleGines domestically, is well known for its distinctive style of play, eccentric personalities, unique and old-fashioned stadiums, and the incredible passion of the fans. 12 teams representing the various districts of the city-state compete each year to bring home the ultimate prize in the domestic game, and for bragging rights amongst their neighbours and rivals. Below them, in Grupo II, 12 more teams are competing each year to join those at the very top. While the Ginense game has traditionally been marked by years, with the advent of participation in international club football, a new modern era begins: Season I. Who will come out on top? Will fortunes change for the established and non-established clubs of the world in this new era? The time has come to find out!


Season I: Coming soon!

[San Gines]

Season I - Preview I/II

Let's begin by introducing the teams! The Liga Ginense has prepared a guide for foreign fans interested in following the league, as well as future opponents in international competition, to introduce each club in the country and its unique traits: the history, the culture, the fans, the current squad, and more. We've asked fans and journalists to describe their clubs and the expectations for this season and the current squad. There's even a manager personality guide - because everyone knows you can tell everything about a manager based on what they wear to the touchline. Time to find your new favourite football club!

Atletico Sevirife
”Sevi”

Colours: Yellow, white
Founded: 1894
Manager: Mateo Jardon (Aggressive, Quiet, Tracksuit - 42)
Stadium: Estadio Municipal Sevirife (12,000)
Captain: Vicenc Forroll
Last Season: N/A
Rivals: Estudiantes (Sevirife derby)

Starting XI (4-3-3): GK - Xavier Bescos (32), LB - Xerardo Moreno (26), CB - Primo Martin (27), CB - Cerilo Muniz (25), RB - David Ferreiro (20), CM - Maties Vega (24), CM - Vicenc Forroll (28), CAM - Ignacio Garcia (32), LW - Pero Perez (29), RW - Adalberto Rosal (24), CF - Esteve Madirole (23)

Bench: GK - Vicente Castano (20), DF - Restu Velasco (22), Mero Garcia (24), MF - Xines Botello (20), Zarando Gomez (22), Rafel Mairreguera (23), CF - Santiago Rabadan (18)

Season Preview: This could be a difficult year for the Sevirife outfit. They have escaped relegation for several years now, but this could be the end of that. It’s quite a weak squad, particularly at the back, where the Martin-Muniz CB duo is one that some Sevi fans are dreading. David Ferreiro is the bright spot, the young fullback considered one of the bright young players in his position. Mateo Jardon’s aggressive, physical style of football is going to have to pay off in spades for the club to have a chance at safety this year. The biggest question? Where are the goals going to come from - Esteve Madiroles has struggled at times, and Santiago Rabadan on the bench is viewed as the brightest Sevi youth product in years. But at just 18, does he have the experience needed to step in when required? Prediction: 12th.

Historic Era
Liga TeleGines: 1 (1927)
Copa del Conde-Duque: 3 (first in 1932, last 1942)
SuperCopa/Copa de la Canonization: 0

Club Culture/History: Founded in 1894 by a group of neighbourhood residents, Atletico Sevirife, affectionately ‘Sevi’ amongst their supporters, is the club representing the easternmost district of the city. Given Sevirife is one of the most populous districts of the city of San Gines, the club grew quickly and soon moved out of the local park it used to play into the Estadio Municipal, built by the district’s council. The first national title was achieved in 1927 - but to this day, over 100 years later, it remains the last.

If you looked at the national roll of honour, you would see a golden era between 1927-1942. Then, suddenly, nothing. Perhaps at first you would ask if this club simply folded. That’s not the case at all - instead, district rivals Estudiantes surpassed them, which led to decades in the wilderness, mostly in the second tier. By the time the club regained some fortune at the end of the 1980s, the ‘Big 4’ and ‘3 Bridesmaids’ had been set in stone, and Sevi were not one of them. The fall was caused by poor financial decisions immediately after the golden years - relegation for the first time in years in 1949 doomed them to 27 seasons in Grupo II, when the golden teams had long been forgotten. During that stretch they watched their hated rivals win the title 3 times. A bit of a revolution of the way the club did business in the 70s and 80s, in addition to the general economic boom in the country, helped the club back into the top tier, but it has now been a very long time since the last trophy, something of a running joke in the country.

The Municipal, as fans call the stadium, is old and perhaps in need of renovation, but dearly beloved by the fans. It is located in a residential area of Sevirife, only about 500m away from the neighbourhood’s most famous symbol, its lighthouse, one of the 4 pictured on San Gines’ flag.
The club is probably most known for its futility over the years; and are ruthlessly mocked by their rivals, when many other clubs hold sympathy for them. While Sevi aren’t considered the biggest club, news of them reaching a Cup semi-final is the talk of the competition, ‘can they finally do it?’ Unfortunately for them, the answer always seems to be no. In reality, the club are strong in recruiting young players, given the population available to them in Sevirife, and also good at flipping young talents to the bigger teams.

The Fans: “Why, oh why born a Sevi fan?” is a common refrain in the Municipal, but the song represents the fans quite well: lyrics about the desperation for any success, combined with eternal devotion to their beloved club. Sevi are simply the lovable losers, and as a result their fans hold good relationships with and are respected by many.

Except for one: Estudiantes. The club from the western side of Sevirife, on the campus of the Universidad San Gines, shares a mutual hatred. To be honest, the rivalry here is perhaps a bit one-sided from Sevirife’s side. Estudiantes share a big rivalry with Union Heijendaal, located in the district home to the Universidad Politecnica, and that rivalry is more important due to their youthful fanbase. The derby is more an opportunity for Estudiantes to mock Sevirife’s misfortunes - the westside club have won over double the trophies of their neighbours. But for Sevirife, beating Estudiantes is everything, and when the clubs play it is the most important match of the year. When Sevi beats Estudiantes, the Sevirife Lighthouse is lit up in yellow, and the fans celebrate as if they had won a championship.

The atmosphere at the match is overall decent. Frankly, Sevi won’t win any awards for the matchday experience, and won’t attract foreign vloggers in the way clubs like Brienenoord or Chocolateria do. The Ultras section at the north end of the stadium leads the way, with drums and fireworks - as is typical of Ginense football. Chants are sometimes criticized by rivals as being ‘the same as the other non-top teams (Forza Sevi ole! Forza Sevi ole, ole ole!)’ but Sevi’s anthem “Our Sevi” is good for a sing-along at the start of a match.

The fanbase is largely the middle-class residents of the district of Sevirife itself. You are quite unlikely to find a fan outside that range, probably due to the club’s general irrelevancy at the top level over the last 70 or so years. There is no clear political organization of the fans, in contrast to their main rivals.

Brienenoord
”El Club del Faro”

Colours: Red, white
Founded: 1908
Manager: Cristobo Vinas (Attacking, Jovial, Suit - 47)
Stadium: Estadio del Faro (24,200)
Captain: Antonio del Valle
Last Season: N/A
Rivals: Chocolateria (competitive), Union Heijendaal (proximity)

Starting XI (4-3-3): GK - Baudilio Ruybal (34), LB - Bras Villamil (26), CB - Antolin Marina (23), CB - Caitano Juncos (22), RB - Josep Alvarez (21), CM - Florencio Hidalgo (25), CM - Antonio del Valle (24), CAM - Dioclecia Donadeu (27), LW - Feliz Marcos (22), RW - Anaya Novoa (32), CF - Gines Garcia (20)

Bench: GK - Macedoni Badals (19), DF - Canor Paredes (24), Benedictu Jardon (33), MF - Marti Cisquell (21), Antolin Marina (23), Adria Siurana (29), CF - Paulo Martin (23)

Season Preview: This is a solid, young Brienenoord squad - one that manager Cristobo Vinas had doing great things last season in a run to the Cup final - and it should be a finish in the top half this year for the lighthouse club. Gines Garcia was the star last year, an incredible breakout season, and Brienenoord will be hoping for more of the same from the poacher. Behind him, Dioclecia Donadeu is part of the furniture at the club now, and his class is always on display. Antonio del Valle is one of the best in his position in the country, and the dynamic midfielder can turn the game on his own with his abilities in dead ball situations. The bench, too, is quite deep - Adria Siurana and Marti Cisquell would be starters on many a team in this division. They are still a step away from the biggest clubs of the land, however - and the defence is where this shows, a young group that, while improving, had some struggles at times last season. The big question? Can young stars like Garcia, del Valle and Alvarez take the next step in their development, or will they suffer setbacks? Prediction: 6th.

Historic Era
Liga TeleGines: 6 (first in 1938, most recent 2027)
Copa del Conde-Duque: 10 (first in 1936, most recent 2026)
SuperCopa/Copa de la Canonization: 6 (CdlC in 1991)

Club Culture/History: Brienenoord, the conquered district, saw several local amateur football clubs in the early days of the LigaGinense, but in 1908 most of these clubs united to form just Brienenoord. Despite the name, the population of this district speaks the same language as the rest of the country - it was this district, along with its southern neighbour Heijendaal, that kept their original names after the Ginense conquest of the districts over 800 years ago. Back to the football, forgive us for the history lesson. Brienenoord struggled in the early years, but became champions for the first time 30 years after their founding, to great celebrations in their first year in the Estadio del Faro.

A total of 22 trophies have come the way of El Bri, with the club’s finest moments coming in the 1990s. There were 6 trophies won in 8 years from 1989-1997 - including the hardest to win of all. The Copa de la Canonization was first played in 1941, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the canonization of San Gines, the nation’s namesake. The success of the first tournament led to the SGFF announcing it would take place every 25 years following. In 1991, Brienenoord qualified as the previous year’s Copa del Conde-Duque winners. The rules for the CdlC are special: while for the SuperCopa, the previous year’s league and cup winner face off in a one-match playoff, in the CdlC, every previous winner, the top 2 teams in the league, and the Cup finalists qualify. After a brilliant tournament performance, including a 3-0 win over Chocolateria in the final, Brienenoord could lift the biggest prize in Ginense football, ensuring eternal qualification for the tournament. The club won its 5th league title in 1994, and 3 Copas during this period as well.

Brienenoord are known for their distinctive style of football, always wanting to attack the game and never fearing any opponent. Does that backfire? Often, yes, especially against the biggest teams. But when it works out, there is no better place to be for a football match than the Estadio del Faro. The club put special focus on this style and ethos above all, and the youth academy is known as the best in the country. Brienenoord, alongside Fernando II and Zarzaquemada, are considered one of the ‘3 Bridesmaids’ of Ginense football - a step below the Big 4, but a step above the rest, too.

What, then, stopped Brienenoord from taking that step? Brienenoord as a district has always been something of an outlier from the rest, and competing with the clubs from Majadahonda and Jerez, with their massive budgets and other advantages, was always going to be perhaps a step too far. Brienenoord can, however, take great pride in having the 6th most trophies of any club, and are known as ‘cup specialists,’ always a team to watch deep in the tournament.

The club and district are deeply linked. The stadium is built right next to the Brienenoord Lighthouse, one of the 4 symbols of the nation on the flag. It is the northernmost in the country. The lighthouse towers above the stadium and has become a real symbol for fans of the club. Even the kit design is taken from the paint pattern of the lighthouse - half-red, half-white, which it was painted after the Ginense conquest to represent the national flag. The light from the lighthouse illuminates the stadium for evening games, creating a beautiful glow.

The club’s symbols are often seen on display at matches. For one there is the flag of the district itself, with a golden background that is sometimes used as the club’s away kit design. Of course, the lighthouse is the symbol of the club and in CdlC matches the club usually play in special classic kits with only the coat of arms of Brienenoord for a logo. The logo itself is circular with the lighthouse in the middle, half-white half-red to the opposite of the lighthouse itself, surrounded by the text ‘Brienenoord’ and ‘1908’ in the black circle.

The Estadio del Faro is a classic old ground, full of passion and energy, beloved by home fans and feared by the opposition. It was once completely open around the top, unique amongst many stadiums in the country, but a roof above the outer seating was added years later. One thing is certain, you won’t soon forget climbing the stairs outside the stadium and getting your first view of the pitch.

The Fans: Deeply loyal, deeply passionate. The kind of fans that when you attend the game for the first time, you have fallen madly for this club within 5 minutes. That deep passion, of course, makes them a target for rival fans, particularly when things go wrong, and passion can also, of course, go too far. But Brienenoord and the atmosphere at del Faro are considered the best the Liga TeleGines has on offer.

The fans are mostly famous for their use of banners and pyrotechnics to create atmosphere. It’s one of the few Ginense stadiums where you won’t find drums, the fans instead preferring a mad atmosphere more reactive to the match itself than in the background of it. “It’s the toughest stadium in this league to play in,” said a former Jerez captain on the prospect of facing Brienenoord. Home matches are always worth a watch - what will they get up to this time?

The club’s anthem is “Under Your Lights,” an ode to the lighthouse above their stadium. But the fans are known for both creativity and humour, being able to create spontaneous chants during the game as well as bring out the old songbook - the most unique in the nation, with several club songs written and regularly sung - the anthem “Brienenoord, Brienenoord, what are we going to do today?” is deeply associated with the 1991 Copa de la Canonization victory.

In terms of rivals, Brienenoord are in a weird spot. The closest clubs are Union Heijendaal and Todos Santos - both in other districts, and both without such history as the ‘lighthouse club.’ The Heijendaal match can be heated, but is rarely a meaningful fixture due to the difference in position between the clubs. As a result, Brienenoord follows the old adage of simply hating each member of the Big 4 clubs. An intense competitive rivalry developed specifically with Chocolateria in the 90s, the clubs played 3 Cup finals, the CdlC final and two fierce league title battles in the mid-90s, one going each way. So there is still some resentment from Brienenoord’s direction, although for Chocolateria, it mostly remains just another chapter in their illustrious story. There is no one classic match; instead Brienenoord fans bring the derby day atmosphere to every single game they play.

Fans mostly come from the Brienenoord district, a middle-class area. The district has become younger and trendier in recent years, thanks to its beaches and nightlife. So many transplants to the district also follow the club. Again there is no real political leaning here, because Brienenoord as a district is constantly changing - see the recent young influx. The fan identity is based on civic identity. In addition, the club is popular among tourists thanks to word spread of their atmosphere.

Chocolateria
”Choco”

Colours: Brown and white
Founded: 1904
Manager: Mouricio Curniana (Pressing, Modest, Suit - 57)
Stadium: La Factoria (40,000)
Captain: Xicu de Contreras
Last Season: N/A
Rivals: Real Majadahonda (Majadahonda derby), Jerez (Clasico San Ginense), Oudolid Juniors (Metro Line 4 derby), Brienenoord (competitive)

Starting XI (4-3-3): GK - Jaume Santander (30), LB - Gines Juncos (25), CB - Xicu de Contreras (26), CB - Urba Thomas (19), RB - Llorenzo van Bloemendaal (24), CM - Xines Campama (23), CM - Dolfo Sanchez (28), CAM - Lluciano Fierros (25), LW - David Gutierrez (22), RW - Xepe Simon (20), CF - Pascoal de Pena (25)

Bench: GK - Ivan Arguelles (20), DF - Demesio Martin (23), Xesus Solar (26), MF - Xacobo Jimenez (30), Mede Campumanes (25), Chano Diaz (24), CF - Celedoniu Iglesias (18)

Season Preview: Champions in the final pre-IFCF season - and considered by many champions-elect this season. Choco simply possesses an excellent squad in every area of the pitch - the ferocious attack, led by goalscoring champion Pascoal de Pena with young phenom Xepe Simon to his right, one of the most valuable players in the league in the middle of the park with Lluciano Fierros, the CB pair of arguably the league’s best defender de Contreras with the young rising star Thomas - you could wax lyrical about every member of the starting 11. Watch out for Llorenzo van Bloemendaal too - a new signing from Brienenoord, much to the disgust of their fans who now see the former academy product as a traitor - and what he can contribute to the team. The biggest question Choco must answer is the lack of depth - it’s a weak bench, frankly, and if the club suffers any injury troubles over the course of this season the replacements will find it a challenge to uphold the standard. Prediction: 1st.

Historic Era
Liga TeleGines: 29 (first in 1907, most recent 2041)
Copa del Conde-Duque: 20 (first in 1916, most recent 2040)
SuperCopa/Copa de la Canonization: 21 (CdlC in 1941)

Club Culture/History: Choco, El Glorioso, the most successful club of San Gines. 70 trophies - and counting, and many of the most iconic, celebrated moments in the history of Ginense football have seen Choco lifting the prize.

Who are they, then, the men in brown? During the 1800s, San Gines industrialized rapidly and in the northern part of the district of Majadahonda, and the area became the centre of the working-class. One of those factories was for the Majadahonda Chocolate Company, famous now for the nationally popular MajaBar, but back then just starting out. Employees of the factory competed against other factory teams in their area, before registering in 1904 as a professional club. Upon winning the LigaGinense just three years later, the MCC became more involved with the team, and it still holds a minority share. For many years the requirement remained to be an employee of the factory to play for the club, before it was dropped in the early 1960s.

Choco have always been a classic team in the Ginense league - one of the Big 4. They established this through a great consistency throughout the early decades of the league, and they were the first team to win 20 championships. The biggest moment in the club’s history would be the victory in the 1941 Copa de la Canonization. It was the first-ever edition of the special tournament, and the Chocolateria team dominated the tournament, winning the final 6-0 over Jerez. As this edition of the CdlC was the first to be broadcast on live TV, millions across the citystate saw Choco lift the trophy - cementing them as one of the most popular teams in the country. The club’s working-class roots also helped this, indeed too their location in one of the most populated districts of the city. The most successful period in the club’s history, however, was the 2020s. Between 2020 and 2028, Choco captured 4 league titles and 6 other trophies.

The most successful club in the country, Choco still had some difficult periods in their history. The only decade the club did not win a league title was the 1980s, when the club perhaps lagged behind the other members of the Big 4 in terms of spending. Once the Majadahonda Chocolate Company’s ownership was bought out in 1987, the club could compete once again, and won the title in 1997. Chocolateria, along with Jerez, are the only two clubs in Ginense football to never have played in Grupo II.

As the country’s biggest club, the club’s symbols have become iconic. The club’s light-brown home kit, always with a collar, is beloved amongst fans, as is the club’s logo, a simply stylized brown ‘C’ in a shield, surrounded by 1 star for each trophy won. Yes, all 70. The club’s sponsor, since sponsorships were introduced in the early 1980s, has always been MajaBar, and as late as 2003 the club had special 3rd kits promoting new flavours of the chocolate bar that inspired the origin of the club. Needless to say, those kits have become favourites online for football kit collectors.

Most of these glories and successes are kept on display, or have been won, at La Factoria, which seats 40,000 fans and is located now just a few blocks away from the Majadahonda Chocolate Company factory. Nicknamed ‘The Box’ by fans due to its rectangular shape, it is one of the most famous stadiums of the country. Passing through the gates, and seeing the statues of various legends of the club’s history, is an experience unlike any other in Ginense football.

The Fans: As one might expect, yes indeed the most successful club in San Gines is also its most popular. Choco fans are incredibly passionate for their club, and have one of the best atmospheres in the league, but they suffer from that syndrome nearly every big club does: their fans are, to put it nicely, incredibly cocky. It makes victory so, so sweet for them, but defeat a national punchline for everyone else - and that there, perhaps, is Choco’s status in San Gines: you either love them or hate them, but everyone has an opinion on the club.

Inside the stadium, the Ultras create a great atmosphere. The North stand is the centre of it all, famous for its tifo displays and use of fireworks as part of pre-match festivities. Despite the influx of day-tripping fans due to the club’s success, the team have done a good job keeping the passionate fans inside and not pricing them out - returned through this loyal support. The club’s anthem “Everywhere You Go” is sung before every match, as well as several club-specific songs and the usual chants heard in most grounds.

The fans appreciate good football, and while the atmosphere doesn’t turn toxic when losing, it does when the fans feel the players aren’t committed enough. Choco’s fans also go to great lengths to defend the ethos of their club. When there was talk about removing the iconic MajaBar sponsorship for a more lucrative deal, fans protested in front of the club’s offices until the club announced a new deal with the MCC. While this may seem odd, the fans feel a great affinity for the club’s history as part of the chocolate factory - the MajaBar logo on the front remains one of the last ties to this heritage.

While Chocolateria fans come from all across the citystate, the ‘core’ base of supporters is easy to profile: the lower-class residents of Majadahonda’s northern quarters, and general broad support across the working class. The fans are quite socially active, particularly when it comes to the labour movement - whenever there is labour strife in the country, the union flags will fly high in the North stand. The club itself also remain close to their working-class roots, despite all the success, ticket prices remain far lower than the other Big 4 clubs. Fans are known to protest against changes in football they feel benefit only the rich - “against modern football” is a common refrain.

Everyone who claims to be the protagonist needs a good antagonist. For Choco, there are several candidates. Jerez is usually the primary one, particularly in the media - where it is labeled the Clasico San Ginense. Jerez are the second most successful team in the country, and the districts of Majadahonda and Jerez have a grand historic rivalry, so there is definitely animosity here. When these clubs play, it is usually incredibly important to the destination of the league title or Cup, and they have in fact played in the Cup final on 9 occasions. There is a great respect between the clubs, however - both of working-class roots. So it is actually with Choco’s district neighbours, Real Majadahonda, that the biggest rivalry exists. La Real were viewed by many as the club of the upper-class nouveau riche that transformed the district in the 1900s, compared to Choco who retained their traditions. There is definitely a deep hatred in this matchup, which both clubs view as their biggest rivalry. While every club in the country loves to play and beat Choco, two other clubs stand out: Brienenoord, due to some particularly fierce battles on-pitch in the clubs’ history, as well as Oudolid Juniors. Juniors are technically the closest club to Choco, separated by only 2 stations on the Metro Line 4, however, this is once again more one-sided from the Oudolid club.

Estudiantes
”Las Fresas”

Colours: Red and white
Founded: 1877
Manager: Martin Abarquero (Countering, Bold, Tracksuit - 53)
Stadium: Estadio Universidad San Gines (8,000)
Captain: Cosme Altarriba
Last Season: N/A
Rivals: Atletico Sevirife (Sevirife derby), Union Heijendaal (Academic derby)

Starting XI (4-3-3): GK - Gael Oudolid (33), LB - Senio Moreno (27), CB - Mario Hernandez (22), CB - Herminio Ruiz (25), RB - Guillem Jimenez (23), CM - Mouricio Valle (28), CM - Cosme Altarriba (29), CAM - Ezequies Latas (32), LW - Loi Cinfuegos (26), RW - Xenaro Lazo (23), CF - Elia Soteres (27)

Bench: GK - Cosme Salgado (23), DF - Suero Mendez (26), Olayo Gomez (28), MF - Rexino Fernandez (23), Ian Sandoval (25), Xuaco Trelles (22), CF - Fausto Villa (19)

Season Preview: It’s going to be a difficult season for Estudiantes, probably marked by a relegation battle in their first year back in the top tier. The squad that won Grupo II last season remains largely unchanged, which unfortunately is usually a recipe for disaster. The star of that title was, without a doubt, Xenaro Lazo, who often put the team on his back to bring home a win - a big question will be if he can do the same against Liga defenders. Where the squad is weak is in midfield, where the Valle-Altarriba-Latas triangle isn’t getting any younger and in what has become very much a young man’s league that could cause issues. In the end, whether the Students finish in the automatic relegation or the playoff spot will likely come down to their derby matches against Atletico Sevirife. The big question will be if Xenaro Lazo can carry the team in an occasion as big as that one. Prediction: 11th.

Historic Era
Liga TeleGines: 5 (first in 1909, last in 1968)
Copa del Conde-Duque: 2 (first in 1909, last in 1979)
SuperCopa/Copa de la Canonization: 3 (first in 1948, last in 1969

Club Culture/History: The second-oldest club in the country, Estudiantes was founded by - you guessed it - students of the Universidad San Gines who decided they fancied kicking a ball around more than studying on the weekends. What began as a university club soon turned into one of the most successful amateur sports organizations in the country, before turning professional in 1905. Just four years later, they were national champions, a distinction they are incredibly proud of as they were also the first team to ever win the league and cup double.

That squad goes down in history as Estudiantes’ finest, and many of its key players remained on the team for another championship in 1913. Estudiantes were one of the biggest clubs of the early era, however, as time grew on many of their advantages faded. Soon young players were harder to pick up - not everyone needed a college degree when football began to pay better, and by 1930, the club abandoned its rule that players must be current students. This led to a dispute with the university administration, forcing Estudiantes to groundshare with rivals Sevirife for fourteen years before the dispute was resolved. While the club brought home another league title in 1968, the glory days were over: no trophies since the SuperCopa triumph the following year is a sore spot for Estudiantes fans.

Estudiantes, then, stand in a difficult position in Ginense football. USG graduates make up a significant portion of the population, and it’s said that for many people Las Freyas are their second team. That soft spot hasn’t, however, translated into a great deal of success. Despite being what some consider a ‘sleeping giant,’ it seems like the potential for Estudiantes to wake up was thrown away in the chaos of the 30s and 40s. Their commitment to their roots also meant they could not chase money the same way the biggest clubs of the country did in the 80s and 90s. For their current level, however, Estudiantes do a great job - the club have never spent more than 2 consecutive years in the Grupo II since 1984, and they seem to have a knack for finding their way out of a tough relegation.

The club play on the USG campus at the Estadio Universidad San Gines. The stadium has a bit of a complicated history, beginning as a public space on campus that later had seating added by the school. In 1930, Estudiantes turned up for their first match of the season only to find they were no longer allowed to play on university property as a result of their dispute over the rule that players must be students (as well as the amount of money given to the club out of the university budget). It took 14 years for the various disputes to play out, during which time Estudiantes groundshared with neighbours Atletico, but finally the club returned to its original home. In the 80s, a new permanent stadium was completed that the club still uses today. It’s quite small, and doesn’t perhaps feel like the stadium of a club that are 5-time league winners. There has been talk of a new ground, but then the conversation turns back to ‘where does the money come from’ and the talk quiets down.

The club have historically played in strawberry red kits, hence their nickname. It wasn’t always that way: when originally founded, many members had once been members of the Real Club de Yates as youths, and the club wore navy blue as a tribute. When the club turned professional, it adopted the red colour of the university - changing to white during their exile from campus before returning to red in 1944. The home kit is usually basic red with white highlights, and the away the exact opposite. The crest is another symbol that has changed depending on the club’s current relationship with USG: sometimes it uses simply the University crest, sometimes a block ‘E.’ The ‘E’ with a strawberry at its base has become a particular fan favourite and has been used in every season since 2025.

The Fans: Estudiantes are unique in this regard as they have 2 quite different cores of their fanbase. The result is an atmosphere full of energy that is quite unique for the Liga Ginense. The hardcore ultras sit in the northwest corner of the stadium, and show their support with flares and smoke for the team. They are quite loud and raucous, and known as loyal to the team until the final whistle. In the south side of the stadium is the student section, where current USG students can get discounted tickets. It results in a unique blend, the students bringing a constant energy through the game alongside the energy already present from the ultra section. It isn’t always smooth, and sometimes the groups have different opinions on how the club is run, however, both sides respect the other. When the club’s anthem “Boys in Red” is sung, both groups join together in full chorus.

Estudiantes have two main rivals: district neighbours Atletico Sevirife, and other top division club Union Heijendaal. The Sevirife derby is the oldest of the rivalries, but many Estudiantes fans will claim that Union are the bigger rivals. Estudiantes hold the major bragging rights over both rivals, particularly Sevirife, and Estudiantes fans love to point out that Sevi’s title drought is many years longer than their own. The derby match here is certainly one full of passion and rivalry, and it’s a day eagerly awaited in the district of Sevirife. Estudiantes’ rivalry with Union is based on the fact that the other major university in the country, the Politecnica de Heijendaal, is in that district. The school and Union have no links, but the rivalry between USG and PdH carries over to this game as well. Here too one can see the divide in fans: for the ultras, who live in the Sevirife district, the be all and end all is Sevi. For the student section, the biggest prize is bragging rights over their friends at the Politecnica.

Estudiantes’ two core groups of fans also come from different backgrounds. The students come from all over the country, and while most don’t come to USG already Estudiantes diehards, they usually graduate with the club being at least their #2 team. Many will go on to be lifelong fans of the club, meaning this is a demographic that is hard to group together. The core fanbase of the club, however, comes from the western districts of Sevirife and grew up in the residential neighbourhoods close to the university. It is a very localized club due to its specific situation, and many of these fans did not attend USG. Overall, Estudiantes brings a unique character to Ginense football that isn’t found anywhere else.

Fernando II
”El Dos”

Colours: Blue and red
Founded: 1902
Manager: Lano Llamazares (Balanced, Loyal, Suit - 57)
Stadium: Estadio Fernando II (25,000)
Captain: Xian Pazos
Last Season: N/A
Rivals: Real Lugrono (Lugrono derby)

Starting XI (4-3-3): GK - Filipo Tunon (24), LB - Xulio Castro (27), CB - Miro Sanchez (28), CB - Bartuelo Mon (20), RB - Cibrao Goris (23), CM - Sebastian Mera (25), CM - Arbidel Cienfuegos (27), CAM - Xuaco Lopez (29), LW - Xian Pazos (27), RW - Judes Baga (32), CF - Nocenci Caamar (25)

Bench: GK - Xerardo Moreno (22), DF - Bernat Peirato (26), Vicenc Puigferrer (28), MF - Carlos Farina (18), Malaquies Montaner (19), Rumaldo Arias (24), CF - Ladio Prieto (30)

Season Preview: Lano Llamazares’ boys are developing into a good squad, but they just aren’t quite there yet, and Fernando II are likely to find themselves in no man’s land this season - not enough quality to challenge the top 6, but much better than the teams below them. The integration of several young players into the squad, such as Montaner and Farina, has begun, and those two will have key roles to play in the future but are still a bit too fresh to be trusted with a full time role just yet. Bartuelo Mon, however, is the name to watch, easily the brightest spot on this team and one of the best young centre backs in the division - excellent in possession and the positioning skill to match it. The biggest question for the team will be if and when those younger players can claim their spot in the XI - and if they can push Fernando II above expectations. Prediction: 7th.

Historic Era
Liga TeleGines: 7 (first in 1908, most recent 2007)
Copa del Conde-Duque: 5 (first in 1921, most recent 2041)
SuperCopa/Copa de la Canonization: 6

Club Culture/History: Fernando II’s founding, in 1902, came about in great controversy. Members of the Real Lugrono Football Club had voted to build a new stadium in the eastern part of the district, to replace the Estadio Fernando II which had been located within walking distance of Fort Lugrono. The meeting was reported as incredibly tense: Lugrono, as the only district to share a border with the uninhabited territory north of the city, had long had a large military presence, and as a result military officers were a large part of the membership of the club. They felt the move abandoned them in favour of other parts of the district.

Just days after the meeting, then, the new club was announced, taking the name of the stadium it had fought this great battle over. This was the beginning of arguably the most hate-filled rivalry in Ginense football. It was also the beginning of a great story for El Dos. Just 6 years later, they would become national champions for the first time, and established themselves as a solid force within the LigaGinense. The 1940s would be the most successful period for the club - champions three times in the decade, but the 1972 Copa del Conde-Duque is perhaps the most well-remembered match in the club’s history. The Copa had not been won in over 50 years, but on that day, Fernando II prevailed over Real Lugrono, the hated rivals, to take the trophy home.

The club are considered one of the ‘3 Bridesmaids,’ the typical teams able to challenge the Big 4 every so often. However, for many years they were not considered as such - they lagged in trophy count compared to Brienenoord and Zarzaquemada. The club’s recent ability to compete with the big clubs, however, including a league title in 2007 and 4 other trophies since then, has removed a bit of this stigma. Unlike Brienenoord and Zarza, however, the club have done this without a defined playstyle - they are a very adaptable club, with managers of many different styles in their history. Why could they never make the next step up? Perhaps had their recent run of trophies come 25 years earlier, they would’ve been at the ground floor of the financial renaissance in Ginense football - instead, they missed out, and the ladder up to the Big 4 had already been mostly kicked away.

The club play in kits with red and blue stripes - red the national colour, blue the colour of their namesake himself. Fernando II was the Count of Jerez who united the citystate in 1196, becoming the first Conde-Duque (Count-Duke). He claimed a vision of Gines of Jerez, a venerated local figure and future saint, had inspired him to do so, which led to the name of the city itself. The club crest features a shield, showing their stadium inside - after all, it was the very reason for the club’s founding - as well as Fernando’s sword. The name and founding date are also found on the crest. The founding year is very important to the club, with the numbers 1902 themselves serving as a symbol for their fans.

Estadio Fernando II, originally built for Real Lugrono before becoming the home of the stadium club in 1902, has been regularly refurbished since then and sits on a beautiful patch of land in western Lugrono, with the sea just metres away. Fernando II fans love their stadium - it is the very essence and raison d’etre of their club - and any talk of moving or building anew is viewed with the utmost suspicion. Thus, while its facilities may need an upgrade only rebuilding could provide, it is unlikely the club could ever pull it off, which does limit the club’s potential somewhat.

The Fans: Devoted to their club from kick-off till the final whistle, Fernando II fans are well-respected across San Gines. They are perhaps most famous for the beautiful images they can create with banners to display before important matches; it’s the southern stand of the Estadio FII that is home to these displays and the most passionate fans.

Fernandistas are well known for an atmosphere that is consistent 90 minutes long - a well-choreographed routine of drums and specific songs. “Red & Blue” is the club anthem, and there are a few other club songs, but many are the typical style of chants you will hear in most Ginense stadiums. The fans appreciate players who work hard - they don’t mind a bit of defensive football as long as the players would do anything for the badge. The Ultras, then, can be very unforgiving to players who don’t fit this image - the fans have confronted players at training before when things are going wrong.

When it comes to rivalries, there is really only one to look at: the derby match with Real Lugrono. The Lugrono derby is perhaps the most heated in the country. The origin of the rivalry was found originally in Real’s move to a new stadium in the eastern part of the district, but today the cleavages are more clear: Fernando II’s fans are more working-class, focused on their roots in western Lugrono, while Real’s fans have gradually evolved with the district, becoming more middle-class and cosmopolitan. It’s the classic struggle of San Gines: tradition vs progress, and each side are quite dug into their stance. It is perhaps the most heated derby match in the country, with fireworks displays a common sight, a great number of songs from both sides against their rivals, and sometimes also a darker side. Fernando II are historically more successful than the neighbours, and won in recent times perhaps the most important derby match in the rivalry’s history: on the final day of the 2035 season, the winner would stay up and the loser would relegate to Grupo II. El Dos won 2-0 to send their hated rivals down, a loss Real have never fully recovered from while Fernando II have since put their worst season in 30 years behind them. The build-up to this derby is intense, with massive fan support at training sessions in the days leading up to the game and immense street parties for the winning side.

Fernando II fans are mostly working-class residents of western Lugrono, with little support outside of the district they call home. This is somewhat surprising given their historic successes, however, they didn’t really join the upper echelons until long after traditional loyalties had been established. The fanbase itself is not specifically political one way or the other, but the stereotype of the fans is that they are certainly more right-wing than their rivals.

Many years ago, Fernando II’s fans were considered some of the most violent in the country, however, for the most part, that is now behind them - there is still that reputation, however, and it remains good advice not to wear other club colours - especially Real Lugrono - in the area around the stadium.

Jerez
”Rojos”

Colours: Red and light green
Founded: 1889
Manager: Pau Navarro (Attacking, Eccentric, Suit - 46)
Stadium: Estadio Jerez (40,000)
Captain: Saul Cerecero
Last Season: N/A
Rivals: Real Club de Yates (Jerez derby), Chocolateria (Clasico San Gines)

Starting XI (4-3-3): GK - Fernando Moran (34), LB - Onofre Cuerno (22), CB - Saul Cerecero (25), CB - Lucas Laza (20), RB - Maties Miranda (27), CM - Bastiaro Alas (28), CM - Millano Vilareyo (27), CAM - Xamin Colombres (27), LW - Arbas Diez (29), RW - Santiago Suarez (22), CF - Artur Aguilera (32)

Bench: GK - Francesc Paret (24), DF - Xinaro de Canco (19), Fernando Garcia (23), MF - Peruxu Garriga (18), Marti Martinez (24), Fernan Toran (26), CF - Rencio Juncos

Season Preview: Jerez had won two titles in a row before being pipped by Chocolateria last season - but it will take a great effort to reclaim the top prize from the Rojos. The squad is excellent, and in many places better - Santiago Suarez is perhaps the only player in the league that can match Xepe Simon, Saul Cerecero is in the same conversation as Xicu de Contreras, and Artur Aguilera’s goalscoring record simply cannot be questioned. Furthermore, Jerez’s bench is much deeper than that of their Clasico rivals - Peruxu Garriga is one of the brightest young talents in the land. The midfield is a bit of a question mark compared to their rivals from Majadahonda, and of course for a player like Aguilera who has relied so much on his speed to score goals over the years there is always the question of will this be the year the hourglass starts to catch up to him. Eccentric manager Pau Navarro perhaps summed it up by saying “If we hadn't lost, we would have won.” To win the title, Jerez will need to avoid the little mistakes that saw it slip last year, and the big question will be if those young future stars can carry the load when called upon. Prediction: 2nd.

Historic Era
Liga TeleGines: 27 (first in 1905, most recent 2040)
Copa del Conde-Duque: 16 (first in 1913, most recent 2037)
SuperCopa/Copa de la Canonization: 21

Club Culture/History: One of the oldest clubs in the country, Jerez have also made their name as one of the most successful clubs in the nation’s history, a trophy cabinet that only one other team can compare itself with. Founded as a general athletic club for the common people of the oldest city district - this will be important later - it was quickly the football side of the house that had the most success, and also popularity. One of the founding members of the Liga Ginense, then called the Liga Professional, they were the first-ever league champions in 1905.

The best era for the Rojos was the 1980s, where their famous squad captured 5 league titles, 2 cups, and 4 supercups. Following the triumphs here, it was long thought that Jerez would thus be the first Ginense club to win 20 titles in total and earn a coveted second star on their shirts. However, a dry spell followed, and it was exactly 20 years between titles 18 and 20. In the meantime, Clasico rivals Chocolateria had captured #20 first. This remains a significant brag for Chocolateria fans over their rivals.

Jerez’s incredible 80s side played a game famous for high-possession, ‘walk it in’ football. While they were critiqued by many as boring, their players became fan favourites for their immense technical skill and the ease at which they seemed to break teams down. The 4-0 win over hated foe Real Club de Yates in the 1985 Copa del Conde-Duque final was perhaps the peak of this style; Jerez held 78% ball possession in the match. The club have this style as their ethos and are known for their strong youth academy which trains players to be very skilled on the ball, and commitment to the ‘Jerez way.’

Despite all of the success over the years, with 64 trophies in their cabinet, there is one exclusive group in Ginense football that Jerez are not a part of. The club have never managed to conquer the Copa de la Canonizacion. The 4 clubs that have include Chocolateria, their biggest rival, as well as Sombra del Madrono, a club with only 9 total trophies in their cabinet. It is a great regret for Jerez, as they have lost 2 of the 4 CdlC finals - once to Sombra, and once to Choco - 6 nil. Most debates between Choco and Jerez fans will inevitably come back to this point, and the 6-0 loss was probably the darkest day in Jerez’s history.

Jerez, naturally, are part of the Big 4, along with 2 of their most important rivals. The club are giants of the Ginense game, and were one of the first to turn professional. Ironically, despite the district of Jerez’s reputation as the traditional side of San Gines, the club itself have been at the forefront of change in the game: professionalization, and later on sponsorships on shirts. Smart business decisions allowed the club to become what it is today. Their Estadio Jerez, of which upgrades were recently completed in 2038, seats 40,000 and is one of the largest in the country. The stadium is certainly one of the best San Gines has to offer in terms of facilities, and the club and fans are proud of their home.

Jerez play in now famous red/green kits - all red with a green stripe down the middle at home, and white with red-green accents away. This was not, however, always the case. The 1905 league winners played in black kits; the team that fell 6-0 to Choco in the CdlC final wore yellow (a colour the club’s president at the time vowed would never be seen in a Jerez kit again - over 90 years later, this has remained true). Red, the colour of the district, came into the kit in the 1950s - but due to the fact that several clubs in the league also had primary red kits, it was decided to pick green as a secondary colour. The green represented ‘the gardens of the royal palace in Jerez,’ but pragmatically was also a colour no other club wore at that time. The home kit has remained practically the same since 1958. The club crest is a red shield with the green text ‘Jerez’ as well as green stripes added below.

The Fans: The oldest district, one of the oldest clubs, first champions - yes, Jerez have one of the biggest fanbases in the country and their fanbase extends well beyond the borders of their district. Many of their most devoted fans, however, see this as a curse instead of a blessing, and complain about the atmosphere in their stadium.

Despite the jokes - “they have 2 public libraries in Jerez” the most common - the atmosphere really isn’t that bad. The Jerez Ultras sit behind the goal in the north side of the stadium, and they are amongst the loudest in the country. The songbook is creative, although some may say the club anthem, ‘Red for Life,’ is sung a few too many times. Jerez fans are more reactive to the game and its flows, you won’t find too many drums or banners in the home end - although flag-waving is common, and the home end often is a sea of red flags. The issue comes mainly from the fact that, as one of the biggest clubs and in the most touristy district, Jerez get a large number of ‘day trippers,’ making it hard for songs and chants to spread around the ground. There have been efforts to improve this, but it remains to be seen how much effect this can have.

Rivalries, for many, are the lifeblood of the game, and Jerez share 2 major ones. The first one, naturally, is the Clasico San Ginense with Chocolateria. This is a rivalry in its purest sense - a great respect between two successful competitors who push each other to be better. These teams don’t riot at the sight of the other, they don’t sing derogatory chants to each other, and you won’t get put in the hospital for wearing one’s shirt near the other’s stadium - but they love, love, love to mock each other. The mutual respect is largely drawn from both their shared historic success as well as the club’s similar positions in their districts: the working-class ‘club of the people’ against richer neighbours. Who might they be?

Real Club de Yates is Jerez’s deepest, most hated, blood feud. The two stadiums are only 2.6km apart, so of course it begins with the split in the district itself - Jerez fans typically came from the east and north, Real Club fans in the southwest. This rivalry runs deeper than that. Real Club de Yates were founded sixteen years prior to Jerez as an athletic club for the district - well, for upper-class residents of the district. The club, funded by big-money industrialists, discriminated against the lower and middle-class residents in their applications, and as a result Jerez were founded to allow the same community-building and participation in sport. In 1905, when Jerez turned professional, Real Club remained amateur - and their club presidents entered a war of words. Real Club’s president told newspapers Jerez were ‘greedy and envious,’ while Jerez’s president replied ‘my club is for the people, not the millionaires.’ Since then, Los Millonarios has been the nickname for Real Club. Jerez won the first league title, but in 1906, the still-amateur Millonarios beat Jerez for the Copa del Conde-Duque. Ever since then, every match between these two has been fiercely contested.

Derby day in Jerez is one in which the tension is felt everywhere - the streets are eerily empty before the game, and full of jubilation on one side afterwards. Jerez have had more overall success than their neighbours, both in the derby itself and in overall trophies, and thus hold the main bragging rights. Traditionally, when one side beats the other, their fans will cover the Plaza San Gines, the biggest public square in the country, with flags and banners, and continue this ‘occupation’ until the early hours of the next morning.

Jerez fans historically came from the eastern working class part of the district - and while they still have a core of support from this area, times change. Eastern Jerez is no longer working-class, it’s more of a tourist centre now, and that core has largely moved into neighbouring districts. You could likely find Jerez fans in every single district of the city - the most, however, come from Jerez, El Carmen and Barrionuevo. The core remains working-class, but of course as one of the biggest clubs in the country it isn’t quite right to simplify that much. The Ultras are fiercely left-wing, and this often comes into play with the rivalry with Real Club - one of the most controversial moments in the recent history of the derby was a tifo from the north end that depicted simply a guillotine. The club have remained close to their roots and have a strong community connection, often active in schools and organizations such as food banks.

[San Gines]

Season I - Preview II/II

Oudolid Juniors
”El Club de la Catedral”

Colours: Sky blue and yellow
Founded: 1905
Manager: Jonathan Velázquez (Possession, Quiet, Sweater - 39)
Stadium: San Antonio (25,000)
Captain: Romeu Sauri
Last Season: N/A
Rivals: Trece de Junio (Oudolid derby), Chocolateria (proximity)

Starting XI (4-3-3): GK - Lluis Lansch (31), LB - Vicenc Vaque (26), CB - Xandro Cuaya (28), CB - Frances Acevedo (24), RB - Moises Saldana (22), CM - Feliberto Aviles (26), CM - Llorenc Romaguer (28), CAM - Antolin Casona (26), LW - Llorenzo Barela (23), RW - Valiente Sanchez (26), CF - Romeu Sauri (29)

Bench: GK - Hugo Raya (22), DF - Carolo Marcos (25), Anton Alonso (26), MF - Filipo Lopez (23), Xines Miranda (18), Amaro Abreu (24), CF - Maxin Villamil (23)

Season Preview: Oudolid are an interesting squad to watch this season, certainly a team on the rise - but no-one is quite sure how to rank this side. Under analytical manager Jonathan Velazquez’s tutelage, they have looked worldbeaters some weekends and shown clear signs of growing pains the next, and haven’t quite developed that consistency that is needed in this league. The squad itself is a very strong one - Llorenzo Barela would fit into any XI in the division, and the club are enamored with their academy product. Moises Saldana is another ‘true Junior’ as they are known who has made quite a name for himself. There is a lack of depth, however, and in midfield the lack of consistency is most evident - Antolin Casona in particular is capable of anything on his day, and nothing when he’s off it. If Velazquez can inject a little bit more discipline into his side the sky is truly the limit for the Cathedral club, but that won’t happen overnight. The biggest question is how many points can Llorenzo Barela win on his own for this club. Prediction: 8th.

Historic Era
Liga TeleGines: 4 (first in 1952, last in 2005)
Copa del Conde-Duque: 6 (first in 1934, last in 2039)
SuperCopa/Copa de la Canonization: 2 (first in 1953, last in 2003)

Club Culture/History: In 1905, a group of young men from Oudolid watched the first season of professional football in San Gines, and when discussing the week’s matches in the square in front of the Cathedral of San Antonio, questioned why no club from their own district was in the league. Oudolid, on the west coast of San Gines, is stuck between Lugrono and Majadahonda, two districts with great history, and as a result have always tried to be at the forefront of trends and other things to make a name for itself. The enterprising youths decided that, well, if no club existed already, we’ll have to create one! So, Oudolid Juniors were born.

First playing near the very same square they were founded in, it took the Juniors some time to get up to speed in the pro circuit. They won their first Copa within 20 years, however it took almost 50 until the magic year 1952 when the club were able to win their first title. Undoubtedly, however, the club’s best period was between 1996 and 2006. During this period, Juniors captured 2 league titles, 2 Copas, and one SuperCopa - almost half of the club’s total trophy haul. The core of the team during this time period became legends, and for a time, it was felt that Oudolid could turn the Big 4 into a ‘Big 5.’

Since 2006, however, the club could not quite capitalize on that promise. The question, of course, is why? The success had also come at a time when Oudolid itself was growing under the ‘Vision 2020’ project of Conde-Duque Carlos XI. The Oudolid Science & Technology Campus opened in 2005, and there was a real buzz in the district and club. Yet it would be 33 years until another Juniors trophy. Poor investment in both players and facilities - there were 2 failed new stadium projects before the current iteration of the San Antonio was built - prevented Juniors from building on their successes. In addition, frankly, it’s very hard to compete with the Big 4 clubs financially, and even with new sponsors from the big new tech companies in the district, it remained a challenge.

Oudolid Juniors play out of the San Antonio stadium, seating 25,000, located just a few blocks from the Cathedral on whose steps the idea of the club was born. It is the third edition of the stadium, and as mentioned, what the club settled for after 2 ambitious proposals - including one that would have moved them into the middle of the above mentioned OSTC - failed to get the proper permits. Fans were strongly disappointed by these moves - however, the new stadium has its own charm, a rectangular shape and a low roof so one may see the Cathedral to the east, and to the west in the distance the skyline of Oudolid’s New Port. It’s a unique look into the change this district has experienced.

The club wear sky blue kits with yellow trim. There doesn’t seem to be any explanation for the original colour choice other than ‘we have these kits at home.’ Some club historians claim they were based on the kits of the now-defunct Club de Tenis, which won the 1906 league title in Oudolid’s first full campaign. Others claim the sky blue represented the colour of the old carpets in the Cathedral - which also had yellow lines on their edges. The club’s away strip is usually
white with blue-yellow strips down the middle. For a crest, the club have typically used a circular badge with the writing of the club’s name around the outside, with the Cathedral below it.

The Fans: Oudolid’s fanbase is perhaps one of the most underrated in the country. The ‘Cathedral Side’ is home to the block of the most fanatic fans, who are perhaps most famous for their ‘limbs’ - the extreme reactions to a scored goal. The ‘rain of drinks’ when they score can famously drench the entire lower level depending on the importance of the goal scored. Many of the chants heard from here are similar to those in stadiums around the country - Forza Juniors ole, or [/i]If you’re not jumping you are for Choco[/i]. There are also a good amount of originals, such as the district anthem ‘Oudolid My Home,’ or the famous ‘Super Juniors’ sung after every goal.

Perhaps a reason the club is underrated is there is no major rival to speak of. Every big club has the yin to its yang, the one club against whom the stakes are simply everything. Choco have Maja, Jerez have Yates, and even Fernando II and Real Lugrono have each other. Oudolid, however, have been cursed with not having a true rival. Trece de Junio are the other club in Oudolid, but have never really been successful at the same time as Juniors. Chocolateria are technically the closest club by distance, the clubs separated by only one stop on Metro line 4. Many Oudolid fans do hate Choco most, but as a banner at a recent match between the two clubs claimed, Choco fans need Oudolid to ‘win another 50 trophies’ before they would even consider the club a rival.

Oudolid as a district is one with a strong pride in itself - pride for what they have achieved and accomplished, being one of the richest city districts, home to the nation’s airport and some of its major economic activities. The Oudolid Lighthouse is the second-tallest building in the country - it’s made to look as if it is all-glass, and stands in the New Port district. Other districts mock Oudolid for being the ‘little sibling who needs attention,’ given it didn’t have a traditional lighthouse of its own, but its people are proud. So, almost the entire district is behind the club, with the exception of a pocket in the east for Trece de Junio. Oudolid today is a middle-class district in general, and the fans have no real political leanings to speak of.

Real Club de Yates
”Los Millonarios”

Colours: Navy blue and white
Founded: 1873
Manager: Aritz Ferrón (Pressing, Jovial, Suit - 47)
Stadium: Estadio San Gines (50,000)
Captain: Malvin Cuesta
Last Season: N/A
Rivals: Jerez (Jerez derby), Real Majadahonda (proximity/history)

Starting XI (4-3-3): GK - VIcenc Garrigo (28), LB - Guillermo Batanero (25), CB - Darios Capalvo (23), CB - Rexino Fernandez (25), RB - Salvador Lugrono (22), CM - Bernardo Parrondo (28), CM - Malvin Cuesta (32), CAM - Xosepin Suarez (19), LW - Selmo Paredes (30), RW - Pero Hontoria (24), CF - Elias Perez (23)

Bench: GK - Reimundo Vilareyo (20), DF - Xamo Alonso (23), Xicu Bonet (25), MF - Francisco Menendez (22), Asier Catalan (23), Hilario Pasamontes (25), CF - Eliseu Valero (27)

Season Preview: Certainly one of the weakest squads in the modern era for the Millonarios, but there is also reason to be hopeful going forward - reason #1 and 1A, Xosepin Suarez and Pero Hontoria. These two are some of the best in their position in the league, and in Suarez’s first full season as the #10 he will be looking to make a big impact. The thing about Real Club’s squad is that it is quite good, really - you just need to be great in most years to truly challenge for the top. One problem is a bit of a clash of generations - you have the young guns like Lugrono, Suarez and Hontoria coming into the squad at the same time classic names like Cuesta and Paredes are in their final years. Real Club are really going to be fighting for that final qualification place for IFCF football, and the big question will be whether the young future stars are experienced enough to overcome that pressure. Prediction: 5th.

Historic Era
Liga TeleGines: 18 (first in 1914, most recent 2036)
Copa del Conde-Duque: 17 (first in 1906, most recent 2028)
SuperCopa/Copa de la Canonization: 8

Club Culture/History: While the Real Club de Yates San Ginense, a yacht club, has existed for many years prior to 1873, it was in that year that the club’s board of directors approved the creation of an athletic department for its members. The football department specifically ‘embraced the tradition of amateur sport,’ as a period newspaper stated, and became successful in the pre-professional era, with their main rival being the now-defunct Club de Tenis. The club were one of the last holdouts of professionalization, not joining the new Liga Professional until 1911 - with two Copa del Conde-Duques won while still amateurs to their name.

The club quickly became one of the most important forces in the Liga Ginense and a member of the ‘Big 4’ group of clubs. The club have had a great deal of success in their history, winning trophies in basically every era and decade of Ginense football - they sit 4th on the list of most prizes with 43. The Millonarios side of the early 2000s, however, was certainly their finest. The club won 3 consecutive titles between 2002 and 2004, the only such threepeat in the nation’s history. Copa wins came also in 2000 and 2003, and the club were just shy of an exceptionally rare treble in 2004, when they won the league title, the SuperCopa, and lost the Copa final on penalties.

Success both on and off the field has allowed Real Club to remain in the top tier of Ginense football. Location certainly helps in the second category - being located in the historic district of Jerez, and playing out of the country’s largest stadium, makes them already one of the most popular clubs in the country. Their origins as a ‘club of millionaires,’ as the president of Jerez once called them that led to the team’s nickname, also ensured they never needed to worry about finances or sponsorship. Strong youth development, as well as simply the almighty dollar (or, Ginense peso) being able to fill gaps in recruitment, helped too. There, then, was the formula for Real Club becoming one of the biggest in the land. In fact, one might ask - this club has all the tools needed to be #1 in trophies by far - why do they lag behind their district rivals, first off, and also Chocolateria? There probably is no real answer, other than things coming down to luck. Sometimes, one team gets to be the protagonist and the others do not, and no factors in the world can change that.

Real Club play in the Estadio San Gines, the biggest stadium in the country and the one also used for Copa finals and national team matches. It seats 50,000 and has been remodeled in recent years. Originally built in 1943, it was another flashpoint between RCdY and Jerez over the fact both clubs had put in proposals for stadium expansion, and the Millonarios had won the bid. There was once a running track around the stadium, but this was removed in the recent remodel in order to add more seats - and after years and years of fan complaints.

The club play in famous navy blue kits with their white logo - simply an interlocked ‘RCdY,’ the Y taking prominence, topped by the club’s star earned for its 18 titles. It’s a classic kit that all fans, even those of Jerez, will admit is one of the best in the nation and it has changed very little since 1873. The away kit is usually white, and the club have famously never used a third kit, the only club in the country to have done so. Names on the back of the shirt did not appear until 1989, and until this day they do not appear on special Copa or SuperCopa final kits.

The Fans: Their district neighbours Jerez often get criticized for atmosphere - but if we have to be honest, it’s probably the worst at Real Club out of any team in San Gines. It’s not really the fault of their core fans, who make a great deal of noise from the north side of the stadium and fill it with flags and banners for important matches. It’s more that, playing out of the biggest stadium in the country, it is often filled with daytrippers and businessmen in suits instead of supporters in kits. This is a problem the club have tried to address, particularly for important fixtures which only allow club members with a certain number of loyalty points to purchase tickets, but one that is difficult to deal with. The club anthem is ‘On to Victory,’ heard at the beginning of each match.

The hated foe is Jerez, naturally. The district neighbours, the ‘millonarios’ against the ‘club of the people.’ The story is the obvious one: the upper-class Real Club mistreated the working-class Jerez, causing a large cleavage between their support groups. Today, however, that distinction is less clear and it really has more to do with whether you lived in the northeast or southwest of the district. Real Club fans are, however, happy to play along, however, such as when they used a drone to drop thousands of pieces of paper Monopoly money on the Jerez away end. It is probably the smallest core fanbase out of the Big 4 clubs, but on derby day it doesn’t feel that way - this is the one day it’s guaranteed the Estadio San Gines comes to life. A rivalry also exists with the club directly over the bridge in Majadahonda, ‘La Real.’ This isn’t a particularly fierce one, both clubs prefer to focus on their district neighbours when it comes to hatred, but there is certainly fierce battles on the pitch - as the 3rd and 4th most successful clubs in the country, these two have played for plenty of titles and cups over the years.

While the fanbase was once the upper class of San Gines, today it is more confined to the south and west neighbourhoods of Jerez - which, ironically, have never been upper class areas. They also enjoy broad outside support as a result of their success, and thus do have a decent fanbase outside the city limits - however, the stigma of their association with the 1% of the country has led to them being perhaps the least popular of the Big 4.

Real Majadahonda
”Maja”

Colours: White and purple
Founded: 1903
Manager: Rafael Tost (Pressing, Modest, Suit - 46)
Stadium: Estadio Majadahonda (35,000)
Captain: Guillermo Mayordomo
Last Season: N/A
Rivals: Chocolateria (Majadahonda derby), Real Club de Yates (proximity)

Starting XI (4-3-3): GK - Benino Vallina (33), LB - Clodio Acuna (28), CB - Euloxu Aviles (27), CB - Llorenc Boguna (23), RB - Mateo Cordovieru (25), CM - Didac Aumatell (22), CM - Erdiano Pasamontes (25), CAM - Guillermo Mayordomo (30), LW - Valiente Casona (28), RW - Ander Tudela (27), CF - Francisco Valdes (23)

Bench: GK - Raimon Servitja (20), DF - Xosepe Garriga (20), Gregorio Remis (23), MF - Xulio Lossada (22), Inigo Cuaya (24), Manoel Vigo (22), CF - Xorxe Miranda (18)

Season Preview: Real Majadahonda were 6 points adrift of the Chocolateria-Jerez title battle for the majority of last season - this year, there is a strong feeling about the club that they can be dark horse contenders. That hope is built off a solid defensive core - there is arguably no better pairing in the league than the Aviles-Boguna CB duo for Maja, two players who it feels can read each others’ minds. Didac Aumatell is one of the best playmaking midfielders in the division, and really came into his own last year. And up front, young Francisco Valdes did an excellent job banging in goals last season. Rafael Tost’s aggressive pressing style makes Maja incredibly tough to go up against as well. The only thing separating Maja from Jerez and Choco is individual quality in some positions - the wingers, for example, just aren’t quite on the same level as those who turn out for their opponents. If Maja are to fight for the title this season, they will need to be greater than the sum of their parts - that will be the biggest question they face this season. Prediction: 3rd.

Historic Era
Liga TeleGines: 17 (first in 1929, last in 2035)
Copa del Conde-Duque: 20 (first in 1912, last in 2032)
SuperCopa/Copa de la Canonization: 14 (CdlC in 2016)

Club Culture/History: Majadahonda Football Club, founded in 1903, quickly came to become a symbol of the change ongoing in Majadahonda in the early part of the 20th century. ‘Maja’ had long been overshadowed by the district of Jerez, its neighbour across the bay, both in history as well as economic success. Maja attempted to get by on industrial growth. In the beginning of the 20th century, alongside new economic reforms by Conde-Duque Fernando IX, the district began to prosper and became one of San Gines’ richest and the centre of its financial industry. Majadahonda FC, who became champions for the first time in 1929, were given the title ‘Real’ or ‘royal’ by Fernando IX’s son Juan II shortly thereafter, who said the club ‘represented exactly my father’s goal of the development of both Majadahonda and our entire country.’

The last of the Big 4 teams to win their first league title, Maja perhaps took longer to hit the ground running than the other teams in their tier. Once they did, however, there was not much looking back. The club had an extremely fruitful period in the 1990s, with 10 trophies in the decade, but absolutely dominated Ginense football in the 2010s. Maja won Liga titles in 2012, 15, 18 and 19, Copas in 11, 12, 15, 16 and 19, as well as SuperCopas in 12, 13 and the famous Copa de la Canonizacion in 2016, the highest point of the club’s history. They managed doubles in 2015 and 2019 as well as an incredible treble in 2012. They missed another treble in 2016 - one which would have included the CdlC - by just 2 points to Chocolateria in the Liga. This was the most successful decade any club has had in the history of Ginense football, and the Maja squad of the 2010s is considered by many one of the greatest Ginense sides of all time.

Part of the Big 4 historically mostly due to their status as one of the biggest and richest clubs of the country, it was the 90s and 10s that truly propelled Maja as on par with the other three teams in terms of success. The club had long sat in 4th place in terms of number of trophies won, particularly damning when rivals Chocolateria lead the way. Now, however, Maja are 3rd, with 51 total trophies, and are getting closer to earning a 2nd star on their crest.

Majadahonda began as a club wearing all-white kits, with a purple ‘M’ for a crest. When the club received the Real designation, it adopted purple (the colour of both the district of Majadahonda and, historically, royalty) as a full-time secondary colour and the main colour of its away kit. The logo was edited, the ‘M’ now taken from the signature of the Conde-Duque himself, with the crown sitting on top. The home kit has remained white with purple sleeves, and the away kit the inverse, ever since. The other main symbol of the club is the tulip flower, which grows in the gardens of the Duke’s Palace in Majadahonda - the purple tulip is often seen on club flags.

The club play in the Estadio Majadahonda, which seats 35,000 fans and is located in the downtown centre of the Majadahonda district, only a few blocks from the sea. It is an ‘urban’ ground, surrounded by tall buildings where many others in the country are surrounded by residential areas or parks, which provides an interesting contrast on matchday. The new stadium was completed in 2023, but it was mostly an upgrade of the original built exactly one hundred years prior.

The Fans: The Big 4 clubs - other than Chocolateria - are usually criticized regarding their atmospheres, but Maja have managed to keep a good one going within their stadium. There are ultra groups seated in the south part of the stadium who are often called the nation’s biggest group of pyromaniacs - fireworks and flares are the key parts of their display, and these usually accompany the club’s anthem, ‘O Maja.’ It is a fearsome place to be a visiting player, and the crowd roar when Maja score is one of the loudest in the country.

Of course, that roar is the loudest when Maja score against a rival - and one stands above all others. Chocolateria, the club from the west of the district, and the one that happens to be the most successful in the history of Ginense football. This isn’t a rivalry of riots and pure hatred, instead one of intense passion and, though neither side will admit it, respect. Yes, there is an element of mentality difference here - Choco representing the more traditional industrial base of Majadahonda, and La Real representing the view to the future - however, it is not too deep. Choco love to mock Maja as the ‘team of the Duke,’ and themselves as a club of the people, but the difference isn’t as pronounced as between Jerez and Real Club de Yates. Speaking of whom, RCdY are Maja’s second biggest rivals, and actually the team closest to Maja. Many have viewed the Maja-Choco and Jerez-RCdY rivalries as quite similar - the team of the elite of the district vs the team of the people. The key difference, however, is that where RCdY are incredibly traditional and actually elitist, Maja represent the new, more progressive and willing to break the norms of old version of San Gines. This leads to a bit of conflict between the two, but both sides care far more about their district derbies.

The fanbase story is similar to that of their Big 4 companion clubs - a strong core fanbase in their original area; i.e eastern Majadahonda, alongside a broad group of supporters from across the country. The ultras aren’t deeply political, although they do embrace Maja’s links to the royal family, something that gets them mocked by anti-establishment clubs like Jerez. The club are a solid number 3 in terms of fanbase size behind Jerez and Chocolateria, but still ahead of the Real Club. Out of the big 4, in addition, they are probably the least hated - everyone respects Choco but also loves to see them lose, Jerez have enemies for similar reasons, everyone hates RCdY, and then there is Maja.

Sombra del Madrono
”Los Pensionistas”

Colours: White and green
Founded: 1903
Manager: Xuan Salas (Countering, Serious, Tracksuit - 60)
Stadium: Estadio Parco del Sombra (10,000)
Captain: Micolau Guerra
Last Season: N/A
Rivals: Zarzaquemada (Zarzaquemada derby)

Starting XI (4-3-3): GK - Dionis Espriu (23), LB - Isaac Soria (30), CB - Micolau Guerra (27), CB - Lluis Moulijn (19), RB - Zaquiel Pina (25), CM - Clemencin Mairreguera (24), CM - Belmiro Remis (27), CAM - Gregori Bacardi (27), LW - Vicenc Lucas (28), RW - Ivan Lopez (26), CF - Dari Granes (22)

Bench: GK - Resto Prieto (24), DF - Venerando Fierros (26), Modesto San Gines (22), MF - Estevo Barroso (24), Gabriel Perpina (30), Lluques Pelaez (27), CF - Xilo Vallina (24)

Season Preview: Sombra will be quite an interesting team to follow. They have one of the brightest young talents in the league in their XI - between the sticks, in Dionis Espriu. Lluis Moulijn and Clemencin Mairreguerra are other names to keep an eye on as they develop further. But there is also some weak spots in the squad - particularly in attack, where the quality of the wingers is perhaps not quite up to the standard of their closest rivals. Dari Granes, too, is a forward with much to prove this season. Xuan Salas sets his team up to be strong on the counter - but with some of these players, it could be difficult to make that system work. Sombra aren’t poor enough to be truly fighting relegation, but it’s unlikely they will be anything more than a lower midtable side. The biggest question they will face is where are the goals going to come from - not only for this season, but so they can plan going forward. Prediction: 9th.

Historic Era
Liga TeleGines: 2 (first in 1912, last in 1942)
Copa del Conde-Duque: 6 (first in 1923, last in 2034)
SuperCopa/Copa de la Canonization: 1 (CdlC in 1966)

Club Culture/History: In the district of Zarzaquemada, located between Majadahonda and Jerez at the top of the bay, sits a large city park. The park has been a popular refuge for citizens of San Gines for centuries, and has grown and expanded to over 450 hectares of land - a paradise of nature inside the bustling urban life of San Gines. This was the cradle of football in San Gines - the first official game in the country was played in the park. The newspapers reported the game as having been played in the ‘shadow of the strawberry trees,’ which the park is full of. The Ginense translation of this phrase - “Sombra del Madrono” became the name of an amateur club that would play out of the very same park. In 1903, the various amateur teams that used the park as their home base united with the biggest club, Sombra, and joined the Liga Professional immediately in 1905. The club were champions for the first time just a few years later in 1912.

Success for Sombra has been rare throughout their history - no league title in over 100 years, and only 1 Cup win in the 21st century. However, the club hold one claim to fame that ensures their place in Ginense football lore forever. In 1965, Sombra won their 4th Copa del Conde-Duque, defeating Chocolateria in the final. That qualified them for the 1966 SuperCopa, which would be played as a Copa de la Canonizacion, the most storied trophy in Ginense football. Having lost most of their 1965 squad to transfers out, Sombra were certainly not favourites in any way. The 1966 squad, however, immediately became club legends - beating Real Majadahonda in the semifinal and Chocolateria 3-2 in the final to win the coveted prize. It’s one of the all-time moments of not just Sombra’s history, but Ginense football in general.

With their home at the ‘cradle of Ginense football,’ and the presence of the club in one of the most memorable moments in the nation’s football history, why could Sombra never take the next step? Perhaps by the CdlC victory it was too late to become part of the ‘Big 4,’ but not even the next step down? Only 2 trophies since that famous day. Lack of strong financial backing is probably the biggest one, combined with the fact that Sombra were historically already the second biggest club within their district - the neighbouring rivals Zarzaquemada being first in the hearts of many within. So Sombra fill the role of the ‘lovable loser’ who everyone respects, and admires for how they have remained true to their roots, but couldn’t translate those roots into the setting of modern football. In recent years, however, the club have shown promise and their Copa win in 2034 was widely celebrated and enjoyed by fans across the country. There is a hope that this new era for Ginense football can be fruitful for the club.

Sombra play out of the Estadio Parco del Sombra, located in the southeastern corner of the park they call home - near to the spot of the first match played in San Gines. It’s a lovely stadium and one away supporters enjoy visiting - on television too, it is quite beautiful, with plenty of nature in the background. The stadium was most recently expanded in 2028 and is considered the best of the sub-20,000 seaters in the country in terms of its overall experience. The club’s logo is a shield, with the club name around the edges - and inside, a player in a Sombra kit plays football underneath a strawberry tree. Green and white are Sombra’s colours and they are the symbols of the club, often seen on flags and banners. On their kits, the colours are used in a unique way: white on the top and bottom, with the middle third of the kit being fully green. The away kit is usually the inverse.

The Fans: The energy and passion through which Sombra supporters experience their team’s matches is one that is greatly respected throughout Ginense football. The largest group of supporters (officially Sombra don’t have ultras) sit behind the goal in the north end of the stadium - and while flares and fireworks are banned, due to the stadium location in the park, the fans generate quite an atmosphere with flags, banners, and loud chanting. The club anthem is “Under the Shade,” a reference to the club’s name, but many popular songs also refer to the Copa de la Canonizacion winning team. The club’s fans are nicknamed ‘los pensionistas,’ or the pensioners - a joke stemming from the Parco del Sombra’s status as a popular spot for Ginense retirees to spend the day.

Sombra are located in the city district of Zarzaquemada, and so it was of course natural that they would form a rivalry with the other club in the district - the club that takes its name, Zarzaquemada. The rivalry has been big for both clubs, but has remained quite low-key. The derby is a huge deal for both sides, but perhaps because of their different levels of success over the years, it never escalated into a true feud like many others. Of course, the bragging rights are incredibly important, and Sombra supporters love to remind their Zarzaquemada colleagues that “you’ll never win that,” a reference to the CdlC victory. Zarzaquemada are the 5th most decorated side in Ginense football, and so it is somewhat of a challenge to compare the two. But every football fan knows the past goes out the window when you win on derby day.

Sombra’s fanbase is made up mostly of those living in the northeastern parts of the district of Zarzaquemada, with some spillover into the west, although it is usually dominated by supporters of the rival. Sombra also draws some support from the neighbouring district of Tarralajara, and they are one of the best-supported clubs outside of the Big 4 and 3 Bridesmaids. Overall, these areas of the city are mostly middle-class and the club’s supporters do not have any significant political leaning.

Union Heijendaal
”El Union”

Colours: Turquoise and white
Founded: 1901
Manager: Primo Villaamil (Countering, Bold, Suit - 48)
Stadium: Estadio Antonio Garcia (8,000)
Captain: Valentin Silveira
Last Season: N/A
Rivals: Estudiantes (Academic derby), Brienenoord (proximity)

Starting XI (4-3-3): GK - Valentin Silveira (32), LB - Oscar Castanon (22), CB - Lico Artime (25), CB - Aleixo de Andrade (23), RB - Alba Cristia (27), CM - Juan Carlos Caballero (23), CM - Miro Garriga (22), CAM - Gines van der Gracht (20), LW - Antonio Madrid (20), RW - Lluciano Diaz (22), CF - Gasparo Junco (25)

Bench: GK - Lleo Baldrich (20), DF - Salvador Magrinya (19), Ramir Femenias (26), MF - Juan Perez (25), Senin Lema (23), Melchor Acevedo (25) CF - Luka Paez (30)

Season Preview: Newly promoted after winning the playoff last season, Heijendaal will be a tough side to predict in the league this season. What got them to the top division was the exceptional play of the wings - Antonio Madrid an absolute menace in Grupo II - and the talismanic explosion of Gines van der Gracht. On top of that, a very solid defence - Aleixo de Andrade earned Team of the Season honours in G2 - and many questioned why El Union couldn’t win the league title. So Heijendaal’s fortunes are very much up in the air this season - if those ‘Grupo II heroes’ can carry that form to the top division, they could genuinely surprise everyone. But there have been many ‘Grupo II heroes’ that became ‘Liga Ginense zeroes,’ and the transition is never easy. That is going to be the biggest question this side face this season, combined with if Primo Villaamil’s counter-attacking style can surprise Liga Ginense squads that might be expecting to have the lion’s share of the possession when facing Heijendaal. Prediction: 10th.

Historic Era
Liga TeleGines: 1 (1911)
Copa del Conde-Duque: 2 (first in 1930, last in 1941)
SuperCopa/Copa de la Canonization: 0

Club Culture/History: The two ‘conquered districts’ in the north of San Gines, which kept their unusual names, are definitely a bit of a different world compared to the rest of the country, even hundreds of years later. While Ginense is the only spoken language, you can see evidence of this difference in some street names, surnames, and so on. The two, Brienenoord and Heijendaal, are often grouped together - but this isn’t quite far on Heijendaal. The district was economically disadvantaged for much of its history, and it became a commuter neighbourhood for working-class people.

That time period is also the period of the origin of the club. In the early 20th century, unions were becoming very popular in San Gines, and the district of Heijendaal, home to so many factory employees, dockyard employees, and more, was the centre of this. Several of the largest unions had headquarters here, and in 1901, the union for dockyard employees created a social and athletic club. Its popularity boomed with members, and a few years later it turned professional and joined the top Ginense league - winning the championship in a shock just 10 years after its founding.

Heijendaal as a district was changing, however, and as a result so too did the club. Economic reform meant that the factories and dockyards were no longer the focus of the Ginense economy and the district gradually became more and more middle class. The second university of the country, the Politecnica de Heijendaal, was opened in the district, focused on STEM, and saw a great number of students move into the barrio. In the early 1990s, the government chose the district as the site of a new complex of government ministries, seeing an influx of public servants into the district as well. The gentrification was complete.

The club itself has probably had the inverse fortunes of its district. That 1911 team is highly regarded as the greatest side in the club’s history, but true passionate ‘Unionistas’ will tell you that the early 1930s side, that captured one Copa title in 1930, could’ve been a real force if ‘they had just been luckier.’ Since 1941, there hasn’t been a single trophy - one of Ginense football’s longest droughts.

Union likely never had a chance to be part of the ‘Big 4’ - but why not the next step? Their neighbours to the north, Brienenoord, are one of the most successful non-B4 clubs in the city. The club’s main patrons, until the early 1950s, were the unions and their members, who supported the club financially and through events. When that source of support began to dry up, things became quite painful in Heijendaal. For 25 years straight the club played in Grupo II, and then came ‘Black Wednesday.’ Drawn at home in the Copa second round against the biggest rivals Brienenoord, there were more fans in the away section of the stadium than in the entire home section. There was serious talk of bankruptcy. After this, the club began to re-promote its roots and encourage a new vision of itself as ‘the other’ working-class club, after Chocolateria and Jerez. That, plus a new generation moving into the neighbourhood engaged a new generation of fans and saved Heijendaal from the brink, turning them into something of a ‘hipster club.’

Heijendaal play out of the small but cozy Estadio Antonio Garcia, the name of the captain of the 1911 championship side. It seats 8,000 and lacks the majority of modern amenities - away teams have complained for years about the away change room - but for many Heijendaal fans, that is the way they like it: rough around the edges and not perfect, just like their club. The club’s logo has changed a few times over the years, but the most loved by the fans is the ‘U’ with ‘Heijendaal’ written in script below it. The club have used a combination of turquoise shirt/white shorts as the home kit since 1911, and while the away kit has changed a few times, it seems the club have recently stuck with white shirt/turqoise shorts.

The Fans: While the club was famously mocked by Brienenoord fans as ‘dead’ in the mid 1980s, with a tifo of a tombstone to go along with it, Union Heijendaal are very much alive in the modern day and have cultivated a great atmosphere at the Antonio Garcia. Before every game the club’s anthem, ‘The Last Metro to Heijendaal,’ is sung - the song itself comes from a 1960s movie about young workers in the district. Beyond this, many of the familiar songs and tunes will ring out from the home end, for example ‘Forza El Union ole,’ Come on Union, come on Union!’ The ultras group sits in the south stand, a single-tiered wall of noise. Heijendaal aren’t prone to big banners or flares, but flags are the specialty and you will see the turquoise-white waving proudly around the whole stadium during a match.

In terms of major rivalries, Heijendaal have two. The Estudiantes rivalry is a bit one-sided from the Sevirife outfit’s perspective: their students love nothing more than to beat Heijendaal and have bragging rights over their friends at the Politecnica. The derby match at home does often see a younger crowd in the stands, but for most hardcore Union supporters, the true rival is Brienenoord. Also a bit one-sided, given Brienenoord’s dislike for Chocolateria, the club’s stadiums are not all that far apart and their unique, forever tied together history binds them as rivals. Brienenoord fans will claim they only think about Heijendaal ‘2 days a year, if that’. However, the energy during this rivalry match is second to none, and on the somewhat rare occasion Heijendaal pulls off the victory, great celebrations ensue.

Supporter culture at Heijendaal is quite interesting as the district has changed. It was once mainly working-class people, then in the darker years families looking for a Sunday out, and now again a mix of working-class plus people from the neighbourhood. The club’s fans don’t describe themselves as political, but come election time, the flags of the Labour Party fly alongside the club’s flag. While the district is now home to a university, there is no mix of student fans and the regulars as seen at Estudiantes. Of course, some Politecnica students are season ticket holders and attend matches, but the culture is different: the stadium is on the opposite side of the neighbourhood from campus and the Politecnica students are less interested in the club than their Estudiantes counterparts.

Zarzaquemada
”Zarza”

Colours: Red and white
Founded: 1898
Manager: Inigo Granda (Aggressive, Loyal, Suit - 42)
Stadium: Estadio Marcos Perez (30,000)
Captain: Serxio Mazon
Last Season: N/A
Rivals: Sombra del Madrono (Zarzaquemada derby),

Starting XI (4-3-3): GK - Serxio Mazon (30), LB - Mariano Becerra (27), CB - Misael Cumiana (23), CB - Asur Menendez (27), RB - Marcelo Laviada (26), CM - Franses Montes (29), CM - Nisio Campumanes (23), CAM - Carolo Marcos (22), LW - Xacinto Cancio (24), RW - Llorienzo Marcos (22), CF - Gasto Serralonga (21)

Bench: GK - Emeric Carrique (22), DF - Delmiro Ruiz (23), Xaime Razo (22), MF - Mede Llamazares (19), Carles Espejo (19), Venerando Valdes (22), FW - Martino Remis (32)

Season Preview: Zarzaquemada have challenged the Big 4 consistently in recent years - and in this year, with the new hope of IFCF football on the horizon and the extra money that can bring, that challenge has the chance to be extremely fruitful for this club. The midfield is up there with the best in the division - Nisio Campumanes arguably the best in his position - and the young, quick, aggressive trio of Cancio-Marcos-Serrallonga is a menace for defences. Speaking of Marcos - the connection between the twin brothers is remarkable, with manager Inigo Granda commenting after a game last year that “it’s almost like they share a brain.” Granda was the captain of Zarza’s so-successful squad of the last decade, and has instilled the same ‘fight for the shirt’ mentality his side that won 3 titles held in spades. No, Zarza most likely won’t truly challenge for the league title, that is still a few years off - but they might just be the most fun team in Ginense football. And if they can break the Big 4 hold on the top 4 this year, which could be incredibly meaningful with no-one quite sure what IFCF football will do to the Ginense football scene… the future would look incredibly bright. The question: can Inigo Granda’s side build the foundation for a successful future title challenge? Prediction: 4th.

Historic Era
Liga TeleGines: 9 (first in 1917, last in 2033)
Copa del Conde-Duque: 9 (first in 1911. last in 2035)
SuperCopa/Copa de la Canonization: 6

Club Culture/History: Zarza, one of the biggest clubs in the history of Ginense football, and with a trophy cabinet to show for it: 24 trophies, the most of any non-Big 4 club, and a great reputation in the history of the Ginense game. The district of Zarzaquemada, and its large public park, was the cradle of football in this country, and also the cradle of the club. In 1898, a team from the neighbourhood faced a team from Lugrono, wearing red kits, and a few weeks later also faced a squad from Tarralajara. ‘Zarzaquemada Club de Futbol’ was founded following that game, although it was the last they would play in the Parco del Sombre. As the majority of the club’s players were from the southwest of the neighbourhood, the club moved to a park closer to that side of the barrio.

As mentioned, Zarza are the most decorated non-Big 4 club in the country, including 9 league titles. The 10th, should it ever happen, would cause massive celebrations. In Ginense football, clubs earn 1 star on the shirt for every 10 titles won. One more league title would grant Zarza incredible bragging rights as only the 5th club to earn this honour, and cementing themselves as the biggest of the ‘3 Bridesmaids.’ The club’s best period came quite recently, in the late 2020s and early 2030s. Zarza claimed 3 league titles, 1 Copa win and also 2 SuperCopa wins during this period. It was an excellent and popular team, beloved by Zarza fans and also loved by fans of many other clubs who loved watching them take on the Big 4 - and win. The 10th title felt so close in 2034, but it was lost on the final day, only on goal difference. Since then, the chase has continued - but Zarza continue to remain a squad that can threaten the biggest clubs.

What has helped Zarza in this transformation, and can it continue? The district has always been nicknamed the ‘bridge’ of San Gines - before the construction of the Conde-Duque Carlos I Bridge across the bay, the only way to travel between the city’s two biggest neighbourhoods, Jerez and Majadahonda, was to pass through Zarzaquemada. The district became a hotbed of ideas, cultural exchange, and a mentality of needing to fight hard for everything you have. This carried into the football club too. Zarza were one of the first clubs to adapt, for example, nutritionists into the medical team. A robust scouting and analytical department, with more pesos budgeted here than any other team in the league (at the time), was the backbone of the 2030s side. On top of that was the commitment to the shirt and fight shown by Zarzaquemada players, instilled in them from the academy on up. Of the 3 Bridesmaids, it is often said ‘Brienenoord play beautiful, Fernando II reinvent themselves, Zarza play to win.’ Physical play, never-say-quit attitude, and fierce backing from the supporters - the best example of which the 4-3 home win over Jerez in the 2030 title year. Down 2-0, Zarza fought back to lead 4-2 after both sides were reduced to 10 men en route to securing the league title. Entering a new age of football in San Gines, Zarza will have to play to their strengths to continue to win.

The Estadio Marcos Perez, one of the newest stadiums in the country, sits in the southwestern corner of the neighbourhood, just a few blocks from the sea. Seating 30,000 fans, it is a fortress for the club and brings a brilliant atmosphere. The club logo is a circular badge with ‘Zarzaquemada’ written on top, ‘San Gines’ on the bottom, and the coat of arms of the district in the middle. On special kits, such as the 125th anniversary of the club’s first game, the club played without a badge - recognizable from their home shirt alone, which is unique. In a country full of clubs with red on the kit - Brienenoord, Jerez, Estudiantes, Fanal del Sur and more - Zarza are the only club to arrange their home shirt as red-white stripes, with black shorts complementing the outfit. The away shirt is full white, occasionally with red sleeves, alongside red shorts.

The Fans: At first glance you might think Zarza fans are a typical Ginense crowd: loud and passionate. And this is, certainly, true. But the deeper you dig, you realize that they are a bit different here - one of the most passionate in the country. Certainly, most debates on that fact have them high in the ranks alongside Chocolateria and Brienenoord. What sets Zarzaquemada apart, however, might come from what happens when they are behind, rather than in front: the stadium is perhaps louder at 1-0 down than 1-0 up. The fans know that they need to give everything to the team, to energize them, and they fill in that duty every game. The club’s anthem is ‘Everything for the club from Zarza,’ about fighting until the final whistle for the victory. Other common songs include a line that symbolizes the spirit of everything ‘winning is amazing, but fighting for the red-white is the best.’ Zarza sides that embody this spirit - like that 2030s team - are deeply beloved by the supporters, while those that do not must face their wrath - once, after a particularly brutal home loss to Chocolateria, the ultras ordered the players to give away their shirts, claiming they did not deserve them.

Zarza’s greatest rivalry is with their district neighbours Sombra de Madrono, who ironically enough were founded a few years after Zarza in the exact same place. Nowadays, their paths have diverged quite significantly - the only bragging right Sombra fans hold in the derby is their CdlC victory. This derby is one that exists mostly on Sunday & the Monday right after - Zarzaquemada fans and Sombra fans often share schools, offices, and quite often families. There isn’t a feud here as much as both sides love to get the better of the other. A fierce atmosphere also awaits all of the Big 4 clubs and Brienenoord, who Zarza often squabble with to determine who is the best of the 3 Bridesmaids. Particularly fierce is the atmosphere when Jerez comes to town - the matches between these two in Zarza’s greatest era were fierce. From 2028 until 2035, Zarza won 3 leagues and a Copa while Jerez won 2 leagues and 3 Copas. 2 of Zarza’s titles were won over Jerez by 3 or fewer points, and Jerez stopped a possible double for Zarza in the Cup final in 2033. The competitiveness and ferocity of the fixture ebbs and flows, but both sets of fans have gained a distaste for each other that could continue if Zarzaquemada keep up this form.

Zarza are one of the most popular clubs in the nation, partly by virtue of being the biggest club of the 3rd most populous district. Particularly the south of the district, mainly residential, is a hotbed of support for the club and you will see lots of kits here on matchday - and average days. While many of the Big 4 clubs have transcended their district, Zarza have become part of the district. For many years ticket sales were limited to those with a Z postcode, and even till this day tickets always go on sale at the club office or tobacco shops in the neighbourhood before they are found online. For many, supporting Zarzaquemada in the district is as much a civic duty as voting in the election. As a result, the fan identity often reflects the district, quite middle-class in the modern day and tightly knit. The ultras sit on the north terrace, one of the last-remaining standing-only sections in Ginense stadia.

...and there they are! The new season will start soon, so stay tuned for updates and all the latest from the Liga TeleGines.

[San Gines]

Season I - Copa de la Canonizacion

For foreign fans getting their first introduction to Ginense football this season, they are in for a real treat. Forgive us for the history lesson, but let’s go back over 1000 years…

In the year 1005, a man named Gines of Jerez is born. He lives a simple, unremarkable life - a shepard by trade, considered by many around him to be quite pious and a good citizen. Records from the time indicate he marries and has 2 children before dying in 1047. At that time, what is now San Gines is a small community of settlers on what is now the present-day neighbourhood of Jerez.

Over the next few hundred years, locals report various oddities involving Gines - his appearance in dreams, the healing of a sick child when they spent a night in his former home. In 1196, the territory of what is now San Gines was two communities facing each other: the Duchy of Jerez and the County of Majadahonda. Fernando II, at that time the Duke of Jerez, unified the lands and became the first Conde-Duque. Two years later, he built a Cathedral to honour Gines, claiming that the now legendary figure had appeared to him in a dream and inspired the unification. In 1233, in the last major battle of the War of the Cows when the districts of Heijendaal and Brienenoord were reclaimed, soldiers of the Conde-Duque carried banners depicting the icon of Gines into the battle - in the aftermath, it was found that not a single soldier carrying a banner had been harmed.

Whether these stories are true or merely the work of excitable minds is a question that will never be truly answered - but the fact is, the people identify with this figure, going so far as to name their new country after him. In 1541, Gines is officially canonized after years of petitioning from the Ginense government. A grand feast was organized to celebrate that event - and every 100 years after. To this day, the festival, which takes place in August, is a major event, which now takes place every 25 years so that more Ginense can experience it in their lives.

That brings us back to football. In 1941, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the canonization, the Royal Ginense Football Federation decided to hold a one-off match between the previous season’s league and Cup winners, both to kick off the new season and to honour the feast day. In that first edition, one of the first ever football matches available city-wide on national TV and radio, Chocolateria defeated Jerez 6-0 in the final to claim the first-ever crown.

The reception of the tournament was incredible - fans had loved the special moments it created, and so in 1944 it was decided to hold a ‘SuperCopa’ before each season, and a special ‘Copa de la Canonización’ every 25 years to mark the feast of San Gines. In 1966 an underdog Sombra de Madrono side claimed the prize, followed by Brienenoord in a famous victory over Chocolateria in 1991. Real Majadahonda took the prize in 2016, and that brings us to this year: 2041. The next chance to write history.

The tournament itself is the premier opportunity for bragging rights in Ginense football - 25 years worth of it if you win, and 25 years of hearing about it if you lose. Jerez fans may have the 2nd most trophies of any club, but a constant running joke has been that they have never captured this prize.

Entry to the tournament is quite exclusive. All former winners are guaranteed a spot. Joining them are last season’s league and Cup winners - if one or both of those already automatically qualifies, it passes to the most recent winner of that competition who has not won the CdlC. That makes 6 teams for this year: Chocolateria, Sombra del Madrono, Brienenoord, Real Majadahonda, Jerez and Fernando II. For 4 clubs, a chance to become the only-ever 2x winner of the competition, and for 2 others, the chance to claim an eternal memory and embrace an incredible moment in the club’s history.

The tournament itself is 2 weeks of constant action with the goal of honouring the Ginense game. Clubs will always release special kits for the tournament, or have some other unique factor. Sombra del Madrono, for example, are playing this tournament in exact replicas of their 1966 kits. Brienenoord participate with their neighbourhood coat of arms as their badge instead of the club logo. Matches are played in various stadiums across the country, neutral site contests, and are played to full capacity, incredible TV audiences within the country, and the final, on the actual feast day itself, is preceded by a grand parade for both teams through the streets.

So, without further ado! Who will write their name into eternal glory this year?

Group Stage

The teams have been drawn into 2 groups of 3. In Group I we have Sombra del Madrono, Real Majadahonda and Chocolateria. In Group II we have Jerez, Brienenoord and Fernando II. Each club plays the others once, and the top 2 from each group qualify for the playoff rounds. With parties, good food and a general joy across the entire city, let’s begin!

Matchday 1

Group I

Real Majadahonda 3–4 Chocolateria (Estadio del Faro)

Group II

Fernando II 4–2 Brienenoord (San Antonio)

Matchday 2

Group I

Sombra del Madrono 0–1 Real Majadahonda (Estadio Fernando II)

Group II

Jerez 3–4 Fernando II (Estadio Marcos Perez)

Matchday 3

Group I

Chocolateria 2–2 Sombra del Madrono (Estadio Majadahonda)

Group II

Brienenoord 0–0 Jerez (Estadio Lugrono)

The results of the group stage are in! In Group I, Chocolateria come away as group winners - but it wasn’t always particularly convincing. They trailed Real Majadahonda 3-2 in the final stages of their opening fixture before coming from behind to claim victory - and you could tell the short turnaround time between matches, and their short bench, was affecting them when the time came for their second fixture against Sombra del Madrono, who were fighting for their lives in the tournament. In the end, Choco advance as group winners. The battle between Real Majadahonda and Sombra del Madrono for 2nd place was settled on matchday 2 - Maja grabbing the early lead through Ander Tudela before holding on the rest of the way for a 1-0 victory. Sombra came oh-so-close against Choco, but a late miss from Vicenc Lucas sealed their elimination from the tournament.

In Group II, there was much drama before the final match. Fernando II shocked both Brienenoord and Jerez with incredible wins in their first two matches, 4-2 and 4-3, to secure their safe passage through to the playoffs. Nocenci Caamar answered any critics with 5 of the 8 goals for El Dos, and despite not being favourites going into the tournament, they currently look like the strongest squad in the tournament. That meant things came down to the final day between Brienenoord and Jerez, and both sides seemed a bit nervy. Brienenoord in particular will be disappointed with the football they displayed in this tournament, nothing seeming to click for them offensively. By the 75th minute, Jerez were content that a draw would see them through, and they took fewer and fewer risks. Survival was the strategy for the Rojos, and it paid off, as they also advance to the playoff rounds.

# Group I               Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Chocolateria            2   1  1  0    6   5  +1    4
2 Real Majadahonda        2   1  0  1    4   4   0    3
3 Sombra del Madrono      2   0  1  1    2   3  −1    1

# Group II              Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Fernando II             2   2  0  0    8   5  +3    6
2 Jerez                   2   0  1  1    3   4  −1    1
3 Brienenoord             2   0  1  1    2   4  −2    1

Semifinals

Two matches with incredible stakes await us. In the early kickoff it’s the Clasico San Gines - two of the biggest clubs of our game going head to head for a spot in the finals, Jerez with a chance to change their history in this competition and Chocolateria a chance to keep the bragging rights for another quarter-century. Later on it’s Fernando II hosting Real Majadahonda - can the underdog run of El Dos see them through to the final and a chance at their first win in this competition, or will Real Majadahonda, certainly favourites on paper, end the underdog story?

Chocolateria 0–0 Jerez (1–1 AET) (3–5 pen.)
Estadio Marcos Perez

Fernando II 1–1 Real Majadahonda (1–1 AET) (4–3 pen.)
Estadio del Faro

And two classic semifinals set up an incredibly intriguing final! In the Clasico, viewers were treated to a chess match between the two old rivals. Just when one side looked to be gaining an advantage, the other would take it back, and it was a nailbiting contest worthy of the rivalry. 0-0 after 90 minutes, but just 44 seconds into extra time Chocolateria would take the lead through Xepe Simon. Jerez used all the time they had to equalize - that goal coming in the 118’ from the head of Artur Aguilera - and send it to penalties, the first between these rivals in over 30 years. In the end, Jerez held their nerve - two misses from Chocolateria send the Rojos to the final.

In the early evening across the city, Fernando II and Real Majadahonda also played an interesting match. Fernando II seemed to have everything going their way in the first half - an early goal through Nocenci Caamar, who really brought his scoring boots to this tournament, and dominating possession. Maja came back strong in the second half, though, an early equalizer from super substitute Inigo Cuaya and several chances to win the game outright. This one also saw an extra half hour before penalties - in which both sides’ fans' heart rates likely shot through the roof, as the first 2 takers for each side all failed to score. Finally, however, Maja failed to convert after El Dos scored, and the blue-reds were through to the final.

Copa de la Canonizacion Final

Here it is. The atmosphere in San Gines is unbelievable before this game. The evening prior, fans of Fernando II gather outside their home ground to honour their side with flares and fireworks. Jerez fans wait until the next morning to march from the Jerez Lighthouse, a symbol of the district, to the Estadio San Gines where the grand final will be played. The blue-red or red-green flags can be seen everywhere, and when the traditional parade begins at noon, there is singing and dancing all along the route. A first-time winner will be crowned today. The 50,000 seat stadium is filled to the brim, the north end firmly backing El Dos and the south end full of the most diehard Jerez fans. They chant back and forth, extolling the glory of their clubs, the smoke fills the air, and then, the referee’s whistle…

Fernando II 0–2 Jerez
Estadio San Gines

The 100-year wait is over! Jerez are the winners! Their players did not seem to have the weight of 100 years of pain on their shoulders - the took the game to Fernando II all evening, the opponents seeming perhaps a bit overawed by the situation. Santiago Suarez had a first half brace for the Rojos, and from there it was smooth sailing. What must also be noted is the excellent work of Jerez’ centre-back duo of Saul Cerecero and Lucas Laza, who shut down the tournament’s top scorer Nocenci Caamar. Caamar, who had 6 goals in 3 games coming into the final, was limited to just 1 shot in the match.

The match won, the past pains washed away, Jerez fans poured into the streets to celebrate all night. The one piece missing from their glorious history now fits the puzzle, and the outpour of jubilation made that abundantly clear. There were still fans on the Plaza de Jerez at 7am the next morning, which in a stroke of fortune for many a fan is still a public holiday. The feast itself was a great success of culture and national pride, and one that Ginense will hold dear to the memory until next time. The clubs will now return to preseason preparation, with the start of the league season just days away. Stay tuned for the latest updates as the new season continues. As for the Copa de la Canonizacion? Well... See you back here in 25 years!

[San Gines]

Liga Ginense Season I Part I

With preparations complete, season tickets sold, pitches watered and prepared, it’s time to kick off the first season of the new beginning of Ginense football. All of the talk, in bars, offices, schoolyards - “is this our year?” “can we do it again?” “do they have what it takes?” - all of those questions will now be answered. 34 matchdays of football begin now - clubs play each other team in the league 3 times before a frenetic final day which sees teams facing off in order of their standings: 1v2, 3v4, 5v6 and so on. Will our champion be decided in those final moments, or will we have an answer sooner? One final note, when matches are listed: the first game in the list takes place on Friday night, the next 2 on Saturday afternoon, the 2 following that on Sunday afternoon, and the final game on Monday evening. Each matchday we will review each match as well as analyze a bit more in depth a ‘match of the weekend.’

Matchday 1

Oudolid Juniors 4–8 Chocolateria
Union Heijendaal 0–1 Sombra del Madrono
Jerez 4–2 Atletico Sevirife
Real Club de Yates 5–1 Estudiantes
Zarzaquemada 3–1 Real Majadahonda
Fernando II 2–2 Brienenoord

Union Heijendaal’s first match back in the top division did not quite go to plan - a loss at home against Sombra del Madrono. Despite a great atmosphere throughout the match from the home support, they just couldn’t seem to find the end product needed for a goal. Union played some good stuff at times, but need that clinical touch if they are to stay up. On the other hand, Sombra withstood the counter from the home side and Dari Granes finished the best chance of the game in the 43rd minute to secure the win. Jerez beat Sevirife in what was a fairly dominant showing - until the final 10 minutes of the match, when Sevi clawed it back from 4-0 to 4-2. Jerez manager Pau Navarro called out his squad for ‘not keeping our heads up for the full 90 minutes’ - and there has been debate within the fanbase over whether he went too far after a brilliant first 80 minutes. Estudiantes stood no chance in the Estadio San Gines against the Yacht Club, a hat-trick from Elias Perez making most of the difference as the Millonarios got off to the best start possible. Can Zarza’s victory over Maja be considered an upset? Many do have Zarza tipped for a strong season, and they did play in front of an excellent home crowd, but the quality of Maja was certainly not on display in this game. Zarzaquemada were up 2-0 within the first 15 minutes. Llorienzo Marcos scored the first on his own and set up the second in a dominant display by the winger. While Majadahonda would score close to the end of the half to make it a contest again, a quick goal from Gasto Serralonga in the second half killed the game as Zarza took a 3-1 win. Monday evening’s contest between Fernando II and Brienenoord was anticipated as an early barometer for each team’s level - but frankly, after 90 minutes, we are confused about both. The draw probably flatters Brinenoord, who had a rough first half in particular, but at the same time, Fernando II could not put the game away when they held the advantage - and struggled to do anything at all when they lost it. It’s a draw that will leave both sides giving a sigh of relief.

The match of the week was most certainly played in the opening fixture on Friday evening in Oudolid - where Chocolateria managed to score 8 (eight) on the Cathedral club. What might be the most disappointing for Oudolid Juniors fans is that their squad could actually keep up with Choco for the first 60 or so minutes - In minute 62, the score was 5-4, and Oudolid actually seemed to have the most momentum. But then a rash decision by Frances Acevedo led to an awful tackle on Xepe Simon inside the box - a straight red card, a converted penalty, and from then on Chocolateria were clear. 8 goals is massive and Choco showed why they are the most dangerous attacking side in the league - Pascoal de Pena had 4, including converting the penalty mentioned earlier. In a fight for the league title, however, is giving up 4 goals to Oudolid Juniors a concern? Not for manager Mouricio Curniana: “That’s your question? We have really reached a new low, if Choco can win by 4 goals and it is not considered good enough. It was exciting for the fans and we won - that’s all that can be asked of us.” Urba Thomas, on the other hand, had this to say: “Definitely, definitely need to spend some more time on the training ground.”

Matchday 2

Chocolateria 5–1 Brienenoord
Real Majadahonda 0–0 Fernando II
Estudiantes 0–1 Zarzaquemada
Atletico Sevirife 1–0 Real Club de Yates
Sombra del Madrono 3–3 Jerez
Oudolid Juniors 1–0 Union Heijendaal

Chocolateria fans have every reason to be excited for their squad this year after terrorizing an opposition defence for the 2nd week in a row. That’s 13 goals through 2 games - and Pascoal de Pena becomes only the 3rd player in Liga Ginense history to have back-to-back hat-tricks to open the season. The Brienenoord away fans were loud in their distaste for Llorenzo van Bloemendaal prior to the match, displaying a tifo expressing how they ‘can’t wait’ for his return to the Estadio del Faro. They weren’t quite so noisy when Choco were 2-0 up within 10 minutes. Dioclecia Donedeu saved total humiliation for the lighthouse club with a late goal, but it’s very much not the start to the season El Bri expected. Poor starts were a trend in the league this weekend - Real Majadahonda had every chance to pull off a win but just could not find their way to the back of the net, settling for a 0-0 with Fernando II. Estudiantes through 2 games have seemed the weakest side in the league, without a shot on target at home against Zarzaquemada - and while it might be unfair to expect anything big given the difficulty of the opponents they have faced through just 2 matchdays, the performances have been fairly dreadful. Jerez made a mess of things away to Sombra del Madrono, down 3-1 at the half after giving away 2 penalties - one borderline, one very much not. Credit to the Rojos, however, as they fought until the very last minute - and beyond, as Santiago Suarez’s equalizer came at 90+4. Oudolid Juniors went from a 12-goal disasterclass in defence last weekend to a 1-0 defensive battle this week. Frankly, they will be happy to take the points and move forward and try to put that opening match far behind them. Union Heijendaal, however, can also take positives - the centre back duo of Artime and de Andrade has looked excellent, and both goals against came in dead-ball situations. They need the attack to start pulling its weight - Antonio Madrid and Gines van der Gracht, the heroes of last season’s promotion, have been kept quiet through two games.

For the match of the week, we had to chose what is certainly the biggest upset of the season so far. Atletico Sevirife fans will be laughing at all of those - including this publication - that called them relegation favourites prior to the season after their 1-0 win over Real Club de Yates. Sevi under Mateo Jardon have historically been weak in matches against the Big 4 - but this is a signature win the team can build upon. They played a devastatingly brutal game, with 5 yellow cards and a significant number of fouls, provoking the anger of the Millonarios’ players and fans. Jardon commented, “I told the lads at halftime, we may only get one chance in this game, and if it comes, every man needs to be ready to take it.” He was right - the goal coming off a corner in the 56th minute that Primo Martin was able to head over the keeper. That would be the last shot on target for Sevi in the game as they frustrated their opponents’ efforts to equalize. 1-0 the final and celebrations for the home fans as Sevi take their first win of the campaign. Malvin Cuesta, the Millonarios’ captain, said “Clearly we weren’t as prepared as we thought - and that is on all of us to set right next week.”

Matchday 3

Union Heijendaal 4–2 Chocolateria
Jerez 1–0 Oudolid Juniors
Real Club de Yates 2–1 Sombra del Madrono
Zarzaquemada 7–1 Atletico Sevirife
Fernando II 2–0 Estudiantes
Brienenoord 1–2 Real Majadahonda

Jerez put in their most complete effort of the year, and probably deserved 2-3 more goals in the end, but what matters most is the 3 points and they dispatched Oudolid Juniors 1-0. Despite the low score, you felt at all times that Jerez were in complete control of the game. Real Club de Yates recovered from last week’s shocking loss - they didn’t seem particularly inevitable against Sombra del Madrono, but they got the job done, and that is what counts in the standings. The winner came early in the second half, Selmo Paredes getting it done, and the Millonarios fans could breathe a sigh of relief. While they recovered from the shock result, Atletico Sevirife, on the other hand, will be questioning if the same team showed up to their Sunday afternoon tilt with Zarzaquemada. Zarza are the only perfect team left in the Liga TeleGines with 11 goals through 3 games - although yes, the 7 from today is really doing a lot for that stat. The Marcos twins connected for 3 of the 7 goals, and the most popular conspiracy theory in Ginense football at the moment is wondering if the two brothers have ever switched jerseys before a game. Fernando II sailed past Estudiantes, while Brienenoord are still winless after three matches - although they put in a performance that perhaps was deserving of more at home to Real Majadahonda. A missed chance late in the game from Gines Garcia ended up being the difference.

How could we not choose a historic upset on a cool autumn Friday evening as the match of the week? Last week we noted that El Union have been quite solid in defence this season, yet they would need to eventually put things together in attack to get the points they needed. We didn’t expect that it would come against… Chocolateria? 2 goals against might not seem like the best defensive output, but given Choco were averaging 6.5 per game going into this one, it seems a Herculean effort. Choco will be facing questions about their defensive strengths yet again after this one. Antonio Madrid put on a show today for the home side, his goal to put them 1-0 up saw Heijendaal fans in raptures. When he made it 4-2 with his second of the game, we’re sure he felt that the pitch in the Estadio Antonio Garcia was heaven. This is a game that will be remembered as a classic in the Ginense football canon - yes, Union fans were already wearing “We Beat Choco” shirts on the metro home. “I’m not making excuses, and I’m not overestimating them: that was the best team we have faced all season,” said Choco captain Xicu de Contreras. The man of the match, Antonio Madrid, said this: “Anything is possible in football. That’s what coach told us before this game, and that’s what we proved tonight.”

Matchday 4

Chocolateria 1–3 Real Majadahonda
Estudiantes 1–4 Brienenoord
Atletico Sevirife 2–3 Fernando II
Sombra del Madrono 2–1 Zarzaquemada
Oudolid Juniors 0–2 Real Club de Yates
Union Heijendaal 6–0 Jerez

In most cases, a Majadahonda derby would be the instant match of the week… but, we’ll get to that. Instead, Maja’s away win over Choco remains the second-biggest talking point from this week. Chocolateria came into this one with a lot to prove after their loss last week but just couldn’t seem to get back to their usual selves - and the defending remains a concern, especially after Urba Thomas went down with an injury early - that one is meant to keep him out for ‘3-4 weeks.’ For Maja, it was a moment to remember, an early-season derby victory that could help them greatly in a league that looks wide open this year so far. Francisco Valdes had the winning goal and led the Maja fans in celebrations after the game. Brienenoord exercised their early-season demons by demolishing Estudiantes in a match that was never really close, 4-1 the final. Estudiantes are really in a crisis and seem like they will be struggling to do better than 12th. Fernando II came from 2-1 down to beat Sevirife in the later stages, 3-2 the final there - Fernando II are having a good start to the season, 3rd in the table so far, and it’s really been a season of surprises so far. That point was proved further when Sombra del Madrono won the Zarzaquemada derby against previously unbeaten Zarza, 2-1 the final score. Zarza scored first, and it seemed in the moment as if they were going to have it all their way. But Los Pensionistas would not give up against their rivals. Ivan Lopez equalized and Estevo Barroso fired them into the lead just 97 seconds apart in the second half - and roared on by an incredible atmosphere in the ground, they saw things out for the 2-1 win. Real Club de Yates have won 2 in a row now after the 2-0 win on the road against Oudolid Juniors, and to throw another 2 into the mix are currently second in the league. Now for the match of the week…

Union Heijendaal 6–0 Jerez. Six. What the fuck? Union Heijendaal were not satisfied with just upsetting Chocolateria last week, they had to go and hand Jerez the Rojos’ worst defeat for over 40 years. Two weeks in a row at the Antonio Garcia there has been magic in the air, and after all the talk of “Heijendaal’s underlying numbers are actually great, if they could only score more goals!!” they now have 10 in 2 games against Ginense football’s historic giants. 2 from Antonio Madrid, 2 from Gasparo Junco, and 1 each from van der Gracht and Diaz. It was just a slaughter all over the park, Heijendaal could perhaps have had 10 if they wanted such was their domination. Jerez played into their hands perfectly: El Union were more than content to let Jerez hold onto the ball and force them into mistakes, enabling Heijendaal to make them pay for it on the counter-attack. Antonio Madrid was once again the best player on the park and this ‘Grupo II legend’ is quickly becoming a Liga TeleGines cult hero. The Jerez players were forced to explain themselves to their 600-strong away end after the game - a highly intellectual interaction we’re sure - and were not available for media comment after the game. With the Clasico against Chocolateria up next week, this one will need to be forgotten quickly. The Heijendaal players, meanwhile, celebrated with their fans long after the final whistle and Antonio Madrid once again told reporters that “We lost our first two games, but we needed to lay the ground for how we want to play. And I think we’ve shown two weeks in a row now that we are no pushover.”

Matchday 5

Jerez 1–1 Chocolateria
Real Club de Yates 1–1 Union Heijendaal
Zarzaquemada 1–0 Oudolid Juniors
Fernando II 6–2 Sombra del Madrono
Brienenoord 4–4 Atletico Sevirife
Real Majadahonda 1–0 Estudiantes

Union Heijendaal remain unbeaten against the Big 4 after a 1-1 draw away to the Yacht Club. Gines van der Gracht’s free kick goal equalized things after Real Club de Yates seemed to be putting the underdog story of the year so far to bed - the Millonarios were stronger for most of the match, they just could not convert their chances against a rock-solid Heijendaal defence. Union, meanwhile, got 1 chance and made the most of it. Zarzaquemada returned to the win column after a fairly straightforward but boring victory over Oudolid Juniors, keeping themselves on top of the table. It’s interesting that after 5 matchdays (yes, a short sample size, but still) no Big 4 clubs are in the top 2 of the league - Fernando II are the ones chasing Zarza after a 6-2 victory at home. El Dos carried their wonderful form from the Copa de la Canonizacion into this season, clearly, and Nocenci Caamar had a brace today to continue his breakout campaign. Brienenoord’s early-season struggles continue as they could only draw Atletico Sevirife, and with unrest in the fanbase, manager Cristobo Vinas encouraged the supporters to remain patient and show their “unwavering devotion.” Real Majadahonda grabbed another win, 1-0 over Estudiantes in what was probably Las Fresas’ best match of the season so far - but that doesn’t earn you points, and Estudiantes sit 12th with 0.

The match of the week, of course, is the Clasico San Gines. Jerez against Chocolateria, the classic rivalry of the city - how many times have these two played with trophies and titles on the line? This time, however, it’s at a time when both clubs, predicted to duke it out for the league title, have struggled out of the gate. Jerez in particular were reeling after the 6-0 defeat last week. The Estadio Jerez was packed with passionate fans willing their clubs on. Jerez displayed a tifo of their club lifting the Copa de la Canonizacion with a message announcing they had avenged the defeat of 1941 against Choco. Choco fans had their own banner ready: “Congratulations on the Copa - 100 years behind El Glorioso.” The game itself was probably not quite worthy of the Clasico title - Jerez took the lead through Santiago Suarez in the first half, while Lluciano Fierros responded for Chocolateria in the second half. Each side comes away with a point - and neither will be too disappointed, although Jerez fans did feel they should’ve been awarded a penalty early in the game when the ball seemed quite close to Demesio Martin’s hand. “We wanted the win today, but we have at least 2 more rounds with them this season,” said Jerez captain Saul Cerecero, while Choco goalscorer Fierros was a bit more reserved: “We haven’t been consistent enough this season and that has led to some missed opportunities - it’s on us to fix that and put in the performances our fans deserve.” Jerez have another derby to focus on next week with Real Club de Yates, while Choco are home against Estudiantes.

Matchday 6

Chocolateria 5–0 Estudiantes
Atletico Sevirife 0–2 Real Majadahonda
Sombra del Madrono 1–0 Brienenoord
Oudolid Juniors 1–1 Fernando II
Union Heijendaal 2–1 Zarzaquemada
Jerez 2–1 Real Club de Yates

For once it’s the expected result as Chocolateria blows Estudiantes out of the water. That was the Choco side we saw in the first two games of the season: clinical and vicious in attack. Xepe Simon had 3 assists in the win and La Factoria was quite happy with the return to form, a great atmosphere all match long. Real Majadahonda have conceded only 2 goals since matchday 2, and today’s 2-0 win over Atletico Sevirife sees them continue what has been a quietly great season so far. Not much of a surprise for a Big 4 club, no, but they have kept their head even when those around them have not and find themselves top of the league 6 games into the season. Is a title possible this year? Brienenoord’s struggles continue with a 1-0 loss away to Sombra del Madrono - and is it fair to call this a crisis? 1 win in 6 and the club sit 9th in the table. Word is there is no risk of Cristobo Vinas’ job just yet, but the order has come from the highest levels that the situation must be turned around quickly. Oudolid Juniors and Fernando II, in a battle of the northwestern districts, finished 1-1 - but the biggest story here is not the final score. It’s that Nocenci Caamar went down injured in the 74th minute, which further x-rays revealed was an ACL injury that will keep him out for between 4-6 months. It’s awful, awful luck for him and his club - the young man was really having a breakout campaign this season, and establishing himself as one of the top forwards in this league. El Dos will need to hope backup striker Ladio Prieto, a veteran with some years of experience in the top division, can pick up the load. What are we supposed to make of Union Heijendaal this season? They seem to gain confidence in their play each and every week - this time around, they defeat Zarzaquemada at home, 2-1 the final. Juncos had both goals for El Union, and they are the talk of the division right now. On the post-match show ‘This Was the Weekend,’ the hosts debated if Union can be talked about as possible contenders for the top 4. While the studio audience laughed, is it really so crazy? They have quite frankly looked like the 2nd best, if not outright best, team in the league in every week since matchday 3. Time will tell if they can keep it up.

The match of the week is another all-important derby - two in a row at home for Jerez. And while the Clasico is a rivalry full of respect and healthy competition, the Jerez derby is quite the opposite. There is real hatred between these two teams and that could be seen in the build-up to the match as Millonarios fans moved towards the stadium with a massive police escort. For Jerez fans it was another opportunity to brag about their recent accomplishment: “Where is your Copa?” read their tifo. The Millonarios’ fans responded with a variety of chants that won’t be repeated in this section. Jerez were the better side without a doubt, and they took a 2-0 lead into halftime. Real Club fought hard in the second half, but a football match is 90 minutes and Elias Perez’ late goal was just not enough to save the point. Jerez win the local derby, and now the brutal beating at the hands of Union Heijendaal is forgotten. “It’s the best feeling in the world to beat them,” says Cerecero. Perez on the other hand says “We need to put this behind us quickly and get back on track. I can only apologize to the fans today and promise that next time will be different.”

Matchday 7

Real Club de Yates 1–2 Chocolateria
Zarzaquemada 1–3 Jerez
Fernando II 1–1 Union Heijendaal
Brienenoord 3–1 Oudolid Juniors
Real Majadahonda 1–1 Sombra del Madrono
Estudiantes 1–0 Atletico Sevirife

A rainy weekend is quite rare in San Gines, but those were the conditions the clubs needed to deal with on matchday 7. Jerez, with the derby victory of last weekend fresh in their minds, cruised to a 3-1 win over Zarza, with Santiago Suarez continuing a great run of form in recent weeks. Suarez had the 2-1 and 3-1 goals in the win. Zarza have not quite been the same since their derby loss to Sombra, and are now 5th in the table. Fernando II saved a draw late at home against Union Heijendaal, with Lado Prieto getting the equalizer - and it’s actually Union fans that will go away not happy with this result. The boys in turquoise were certainly the better side, it was just a little bit of inexperience that led to the chance given away at the end of the match. Union remain unbeaten in their last 5 games. Brienenoord faced a potentially toxic atmosphere at home against Oudolid Juniors, but that was almost entirely forgotten after Gines Garcia’s goal just 27 seconds into the match. Brienenoord were up 3-0 by the half, and the fans were fully behind the team’s fight and passion on display. Cristobo Vinas personally thanked the supporters after the match for their help in the important win, and Brienenoord will hope they have now turned the corner. Sombra del Madrono held Real Majadahonda to a draw, a decent upset for the club from the park. Sombra del Madrono have quietly been quite strong this season, and seem to have taken a great deal of confidence from their derby win early in the season. The Sevirife derby saw Estudiantes get their first points of the season as they defeated Atletico 1-0. Xenaro Lazo, who had not quite been off to the best of starts in the league this season, grabbed the winning goal.

The match of the week saw Chocolateria come from behind to overcome Real Club de Yates for an important away win. Real Club were desperate to put things right this week after their loss to Jerez in the derby last weekend, but they played with a bit too much desperation. There were some key mistakes made early on that Choco failed to capitalize on, before Elias Perez actually put the Millonarios up 1-0 through a great strike from the right side of the box in the 18th minute. But you never really got the feel that they would actually win the game - Choco seemed inevitable, and were equal before the half through Xepe Simon. Pascoal de Pena fired in a rocket of a shot in the 80th minute to put Choco ahead for good and claim the final victory. De Pena told media after the match “It felt really good, yeah, because I felt that I had been letting the team down a bit since those first two games. So being able to grab the winner today is something I can take a lot of confidence from.” Elias Perez, the Millonarios’ goalscorer, said “It’s been two heartbreaking losses in two weeks now, and we just need to get back to basics and win some points.”

Matchday 8

Chocolateria 0–1 Atletico Sevirife
Sombra del Madrono 0–0 Estudiantes
Oudolid Juniors 1–0 Real Majadahonda
Union Heijendaal 3–4 Brienenoord
Jerez 3–0 Fernando II
Real Club de Yates 0–0 Zarzaquemada

Is everything ok at La Factoria? The win over Real Club de Yates last week is followed up with… a dreadful performance against Atletico Sevirife at home. It’s the first time Sevi have beaten Choco at La Factoria in 34 years. Held goalless, it was just simply a day of embarrassment for the home side, while Sevirife’s derby loss last weekend is forgotten instantly with a really memorable and meaningful win for their fans. Ignacio Garcia has the goal which further enters him into icon status at his club. The most boring match of the season saw Sombra del Madrono and Estudiantes combine for 2 shots on goal, a match almost entirely devoid of anything to note except that Estudiantes now have points in a 2nd straight game. Oudolid Juniors showed their potential as a team with a 1-0 win over Maja at home. San Antonio was on fire - literally, with the smoke and flares shot off after the raucous goal celebrations. Following up on the loss of Choco last night, you could feel the stadium by the Cathedral literally bounce as the fans sang “Who doesn’t jump is a Choco fan.” Maja, meanwhile, have hit a bit of a rut lately. The first place spot in the league seems to be cursed: Zarza’s downfall after their derby loss, and now Maja giving way to Jerez. That was thanks to a 3-0 victory over Fernando II, who looked hapless without Nocenci Caamar. Jerez, meanwhile, looked clinical: Santiago Suarez is asserting himself as a candidate for the title of ‘best Ginense player’ while Artur Aguilera had a brace in the win. Real Club de Yates and Zarzaquemada played a 0-0 that showed just how different the game of football can be: on Saturday afternoon Sombra and Estudiantes looked like amateurs, and on Monday evening the Millonarios and Zarza hit 2 posts, 1 crossbar and had 1 penalty saved, Vicenc Garrigo denying Gasto Serralonga.

The game of the week certainly goes to the derby match between Union Heijendaal and Brienenoord. Clubs with opposite expectations and very opposite fortunes so far this season: Heijendaal the shock of the league, Brienenoord a shock for other reasons. But with the lighthouse club on the upswing after last week’s win, and Heijendaal unbeaten in 5, it was time to truly put that to the test. It was certainly the most exciting game of the year, and at times it seemed both sides would inevitably win. Brienenoord were up 2-0 in the first half, before Heijendaal evened things up with two quick goals. When Union went up 3-2 a few minutes into the second half, it seemed that they would run away with it - but more suspense was to be found in this one. Gines Garcia scored from the penalty spot for Brienenoord to equalize, and then doubled his tally just 6 minutes later to make it 4-3. Union pushed hard to tie it up late, but instead suffer their first defeat in 5 games. Brienenoord fans loudly cheered their rivals’ demise at their hands, and the two goal man had this to say: “We could feel the fans behind us, even when we went behind - and we know what this victory means to them.” Antonio Madrid, who had Heijendaal’s first goal, said “Keeping our heads up high, we were a match for them today and we aren’t going away.”

With 8 matches in the books, it’s time to take a look at the league table at this point in the season.

#  Liga TeleGines         Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Jerez                    8    5   2   1    17   14   +3    17
 2 Real Majadahonda         8    4   2   2    10    7   +3    14
 3 Chocolateria             8    4   1   3    24   15   +9    13
 4 Zarzaquemada             8    4   1   3    15    9   +6    13
 5 Fernando II              8    3   4   1    15   11   +4    13
 6 Sombra del Madrono       8    3   3   2    11   13   −2    12
 7 Union Heijendaal         8    3   2   3    17   11   +6    11
 8 Real Club de Yates       8    3   2   3    12    8   +4    11
 9 Brienenoord              8    3   2   3    19   19    0    11
10 Oudolid Juniors          8    2   1   5     8   16   −8     7
11 Atletico Sevirife        8    2   1   5    11   21  −10     7
12 Estudiantes              8    1   1   6     3   18  −15     4

The Top 5

After 8 matches, let’s take a look at the top 5 burning questions of this Liga TeleGines season so far:

5. Where will Fernando II get goals from after the devastating loss of Nocenci Caamar?
4. Chocolateria’s lack of consistency has been a shock so far this season; can they get back to their usual selves?
3. The underperformance of Brienenoord and Real Club de Yates have been major stories this season. Can they pull themselves back into the fight for IFCF football?
2. Are Union Heijendaal and Sombra del Madrono for real?
1. Jerez led the way after 8 games - what is it going to take for them to stay there after 34?

The answers should come soon, as the Liga TeleGines season continues! Follow us here for all of the latest updates.

[San Gines]

Liga Ginense Season I Part II

Matchday 9

Zarzaquemada 1–1 Chocolateria
Fernando II 2–1 Real Club de Yates
Brienenoord 1–0 Jerez
Real Majadahonda 3–1 Union Heijendaal
Estudiantes 1–2 Oudolid Juniors
Atletico Sevirife 4–0 Sombra del Madrono

On Friday evening it was Zarzaquemada with something to prove against Chocolateria, as El Glorioso traveled a few kilometres east to face off with Zarza. Pascoal de Pena had the opener for Choco only 9 minutes into the game, and the away fans seemed to think it was everything they needed to grab the win in this one. Zarza had other plans, however, and Llorienzo Marcos scored the tying goal just after halftime as the points were shared. Real Club de Yates’ struggles continued on a Saturday afternoon that saw them lose 2-1 to Fernando II. El Dos got both goals from Lado Prieto and the loss of Nocenci Caamar has yet to greatly impact the squad. Real Majadahonda handed Union Heijendaal their second straight loss, which sees Maja recapture first place in the league - given what we have seen so far, however, is that a place any club wants to be until the final moments this season? Maja thoroughly outplayed a Heijendaal side who are now coming a bit back down to earth after the back to back defeats. Estudiantes fans had a great deal of hope after their side went up 1-0 against Oudolid Juniors - ‘can we climb our way out of this one?’ But that came crashing down with 2 quick Oudolid goals in the second half, Romeu Sauri with both goals, as Juniors get a vital away win. Besides Heijendaal, the other positive surprise story of the season so far has been Sombra del Madrono defying expectations and picking up some big wins. Today, however, it was not to be - Sevirife hit them for 3 first half goals, and added insult to injury with a brace for Esteve Madirole in the second half.

The match of the week has to be the former league leaders Jerez getting knocked off their perch by Brienenoord, as the curse of P1 in the league continues for another week. A sunny afternoon at the Estadio del Faro always means a great atmosphere, and it was a perfect day for the spectacle as both sets of fans were in full voice for 90 minutes. Brienenoord’s struggles out of the gate seemed entirely forgotten as they took the game to Jerez for much of the first half, but the Rojos held on, and had some excellent chances of their own. What was key to the outcome, however, was the way Brienenoord manager Cristobo Vinas deployed left back Bras Villamil against Santiago Suarez, shutting the key winger almost entirely out of Jerez’s offensive build-up. For a while we seemed destined for a 0-0, but much to the joy of their fans, Gines Garcia found the back of the net for Brienenoord in a last-minute counter-attack. “We can be very, very proud of that - and it’s just about staying consistent and building on this now,” said Garcia after the game. On the Jerez side, it was a difficult story: “We’ve really run the gauntlet the past few weeks, and being first was nice, but it feels bad to have thrown it away immediately. Now we need to get back on track and back where we belong and that starts tomorrow at the training ground,” said manager Pau Navarro.

Copa del Conde-Duque - First Round

Fanal del Sur 1–2 Todos Santos
La Victoria 0–3 Deportivo Mariposa
Dragones 0–5 Neptuno
Trece de Junio 1–0 El Carmen

On Wednesday evening began the first round of this year’s edition of the Copa del Conde-Duque. There are 6 rounds of the competition, and in this first round, the bottom 8 finishers from last year’s Grupo II compete. Liga Ginense clubs will enter the competition from the third round. The theme of today’s results seemed to be victory for the away team - Todos Santos, Deportivo Mariposa and Neptuno all taking victories. Neptuno are the most successful team in the history of the Copa to be playing in this year’s first round - 4 titles to their name. Meanwhile, two of the clubs eliminated tonight - La Victoria and Dragons - as well as one winner - Deportivo Mariposa - have never won a single trophy in their club’s history. In the final match of the first round, Trece de Junio, the cult club from Oudolid, defeated El Carmen to advance. In the second round, these winners will face the top 4 clubs from last year’s Grupo II.

Matchday 10

Chocolateria 3–0 Sombra del Madrono
Oudolid Juniors 1–3 Atletico Sevirife
Union Heijendaal 2–0 Estudiantes
Jerez 5–0 Real Majadahonda
Real Club de Yates 2–1 Brienenoord
Zarzaquemada 0–3 Fernando II

Choco kick off the weekend with a strong win, 3-0 over a Sombra del Madrono side who are spiraling after two bad defeats in a row - that’s seven goals conceded in 2 games for the Pensionistas, and while it’s certainly not a crisis after their strong start to the season, they definitely will be wanting to get things settled soon. For Choco, meanwhile, the fact that nobody has started the season perfectly is their main saving grace at the moment - 3 points off the lead of the division is not a bad place to be. Atletico Sevirife were relegation favourites at the start of the year but already have 4 wins this season - and this one is right up with the best of them, 3-1 away to Oudolid Juniors. Mateo Jardon’s team have been very very difficult to take on for many clubs in the Liga this season, and a continuation of that form can only mean good things for Sevi. In a battle of the newly promoted sides, Union Heijendaal looked miles better than Estudiantes and their 2-0 win comes off the back of an Antonio Madrid brace. The young star is truly making his name heard around the league this season with another excellent performance. Real Club de Yates stopped their recent slide and won a tightly contested match with Brienenoord, 2-1 being the final score in that one. Real Club now sit 6th in the league - certainly not where they envisioned themselves at the beginning of this campaign, but luckily the IFCF race isn’t too far away yet. On Monday evening, Zarzaquemada were expected to beat Fernando II, but instead it was El Dos who surged to a 3-0 win. There is a genuine argument that Fernando II have been the best club in the country this year - excellent in the Copa de la Canonization, the final excluded, and have only lost 1 of 10 league matches this season. Fernando II currently sit 2nd with 19 points.

First place, however, belongs to Jerez once again as the #1 vs #2 clash was not at all close - in fact, it was somewhat of a massacre. Real Majadahonda’s defense has been their best quality this season, only 8 goals conceded prior to today - but the 5 goals shipped to Jerez were more reminiscent of a Grupo II defense. Maja’s defense may be strong, but the offense has struggled - 13 goals total for the season - and the story was no different against Jerez as they missed several chances at 0-0 and 1-0 that could’ve changed the game entirely. As it was, it was 3-0 at the 65th minute before Clodio Acuna was sent off after a rash challenge led to his second yellow card of the evening. Santiago Suarez completed his hat-trick in the final minutes with the 5-0 goal to complete the demolition. “I’m just trying not to think to much, you know, just be in this moment and not change the things that I’m doing too much. It’s been good but not great and we’re all committed to reaching a new level for the rest of the season,” said Suarez after the match. Jerez fans will be dreaming of a possible double this season as they have seemed, the 6-0 loss to Union notwithstanding, the best team in the league this season.

Matchday 11

Fernando II 0–1 Chocolateria
Brienenoord 1–1 Zarzaquemada
Real Majadahonda 1–0 Real Club de Yates
Estudiantes 1–1 Jerez
Atletico Sevirife 0–6 Union Heijendaal
Sombra del Madrono 0–0 Oudolid Juniors

Chocolateria win once again, 1-0 over Fernando II in a match they really had to fight for, Pascoal de Pena’s goal coming only in the 77th minute after El Dos had held Choco all night long. The loss isn’t the bad part for Fernando II - it’s the loss of Bartuelo Mon, the young star centre back, to injury. Fernando II now have their 2 most important players on the sideline and it is going to be a fight for them to keep up their great form now. Brinenoord and Zarzaquemada is always a fun match, and this time around was no different. The score could easily have been 4-4 if not for some excellent defensive work from both sides. In the end, 1-1 is the final - Zarza in the first half and El Bri in the second. The atmosphere in the stadium was also excellent as the passionate fanbases of both clubs pushed their teams on to try to make the difference. While Real Majadahonda were curbstomped by Jerez last weekend, they set things straight today against Real Club de Yates. A strong defensive performance, and a key late goal from Francisco Valdes, were enough to secure the win. Atletico Sevirife had been capturing headline for good play recently, but a 6-0 loss to Union Heijendaal is a devastating blow. What are Union this season? Those who had written them off as a ‘confidence team’ after their back-to-back losses a few weeks ago now need to come up with some other excuse, as El Union now have 8 goals in 2 games and are just 4 points off first place in the league. Is it possible that they are, simply, a very good team? The middle part of this season is certainly going to be crucial to discovering their identity. Nothing really of note in Monday night’s clash between Sombra and Oudolid. After some recent humiliations, both sides will be happy coming away with just a point.

Match of the week honours goes to the continuation of the P1 curse. Jerez do not lose top spot after their draw with Estudiantes, but it’s definitely not the result they were hoping for. Las Fresas, meanwhile, can be delighted with their performance tonight. Estudiantes were set up to spoil, 10 men behind the ball for most of the game and a low block. Jerez grew increasingly frustrated at their failures to break down the opponent, and the first goal of the game was a casualty of this. Trying to do a bit too much, a rash pass forward from Maties Miranda was picked off and the ensuing counter attack led to a virtual tap-in for Loi Cinfuegos. Jerez would get a goal soon after off a corner, Saul Cerecero knocking in the free ball, but Jerez just seemed completely stymied in open play. The last-placed side in the league fought to the end against the current frontrunners, and they pick up a key point that renews their hopes of staying in the top division. “So proud of every single one of them - the battle tonight needs to be replicated every game out,” said manager Martin Abarquero. Pau Navarro, the Jerez coach, was a bit more blunt: “They were boring, we were shit.”

Copa del Conde-Duque - Second Round

Todos Santos 0–0 El Coronado (1–1 AET) (5–4 pen.)
Neptuno 0–2 Trece de Junio
Barrionuevo 0–0 Real Lugrono (2–1 AET)
Tarralajara 0–2 Deportivo Mariposa

The final round without Liga teams is complete! The most interesting match of this round was certainly the Northeastern derby between Todos Santos and El Coronado - the two neighbouring districts, both known for their historical charm and feel, are not particularly friendly when it comes to football. Today, Todos Santos had the best of things - the men in black and white were better for the entire match, they just found it incredibly difficult to actually score. When it came to penalties, however, Todos Santos were flawless, winning the shootout 5-4 to advance. Elsewhere, Trece de Junio knock out Neptuno, while Barrionuevo needed extra time to see Real Lugrono, a club with much history in the competition, out. Tarralajara’s Cup campaign was also a non-starter, as the 4 time winners fell to Deportivo Mariposa. 16 teams are left in the chase for Copa glory.

The Third Round draw serves up some interesting ties. Real Majadahonda will host Sombra del Madrono, while Barrionuevo are traveling a short distance south to Jerez for an interesting Liga vs Grupo clash. Atletico Sevirife are hosting Brienenoord, Estudiantes will host Oudolid Juniors, while Todos Santos and Trece de Junio face off in a clash that ensures one team from the 1st round of the competition will play in at least the Quarterfinal. Neutrals will love seeing Chocolateria drawn against Real Club de Yates so soon - two Big 4 clubs facing off already in the 3rd round can only increase the chances of a surprise tournament winner. Rounding things out, Zarzaquemada host Mariposa, while Fernando II and Union Heijendaal will clash in the final match of the round.

Matchday 12

Chocolateria 3–1 Oudolid Juniors
Sombra del Madrono 2–0 Union Heijendaal
Atletico Sevirife 4–1 Jerez
Estudiantes 0–3 Real Club de Yates
Real Majadahonda 0–3 Zarzaquemada
Brienenoord 3–0 Fernando II

The Liga resumes at the weekend with several interesting matches. Pascoal de Pena had the hat-trick for Chocolateria in a 3-1 victory over Oudolid Juniors. All 3 goals came in the first half, before Oudolid added a late consolation penalty in the M4 derby. The battle of two of the biggest surprise stories of the year was one that plenty of neutrals had eyes on, and it was Sombra del Madrono taking the victory 2-0. Dari Granes and Ivan Lopez had the goals, one in each half, and Union didn’t really seem like the team they have been recently in the Liga. Union, on their day, are incredible, but just lack that last bit of consistency needed. On a weekend with no draws in the Liga Ginense, every game on Sunday and Monday evening ended 3-0. Real Club de Yates dominated Estudiantes, as they jumped out to the 3-0 cushion after just 23 minutes of play. From there it was pretty much a simple game of keep-away for the Millonarios. Real Majadahonda and Zarzaquemada was a bit of a different story: the home side were hoping to win the match and go top of the division, but whether it was nerves or just general lack of quality on the day, they practically handed Zarza the game. A penalty given in the first minute, a red card in minute 34, and a second red card in minute 49, it was easy for the visitors to run away with things and Zarza, frankly, could’ve had much more. Brienenoord continued their good form of late thanks to a brace from Gines Garcia, they beat Fernando II who definitely struggled with their top forward and top defender both lost to injury.

Our game of the week this time around sees the P1 curse continue and Atletico Sevirife claiming another massive upset. After Chocolateria’s win on Friday night, Jerez needed to win to stay in first - and nothing went their way against Sevi. While Sevirife won earlier this season against Real Club de Yates with a bruising, physical, park-the-bus style, today they decided to switch things up and hit the Rojos on the counter. They did this with devastating efficiency - the first 2 opportunities they had led to goals. Jerez clawed one back after that, which had many Sevi fans worried about throwing this one away. There was no need to worry - David Ferreiro, the young full back putting in the performance of a lifetime today, had 2 great assists in the second half to stretch the lead to 4 goals. Following the match the young Ferreiro said “Everybody had us tipped to go down… that’s 2 of the Big 4 we have beaten this year.” Jerez manager Pau Navarro said “We have been first in this league and had chances to separate ourselves and just failed to take them. We need to look in the mirror and figure out why.” Sevirife are now 11 points clear of the automatic relegation zone, while Jerez now sit in second, 2 points behind Chocolateria - although given how this season has gone, that might just be exactly the best spot to be.

Matchday 13

Brienenoord 3–0 Chocolateria
Fernando II 1–5 Real Majadahonda
Zarzaquemada 3–0 Estudiantes
Real Club de Yates 1–0 Atletico Sevirife
Jerez 1–2 Sombra del Madrono
Union Heijendaal 2–0 Oudolid Juniors

Fernando II are really, really struggling. It was thought the loss of Nocenci Caamar might end the run of form they had been in - but the loss of Bartuelo Mon has been absolutely catastrophic. Real Majadahonda have not been particularly brilliant offensively this year however they devastated El Dos, with 6.43 expected goals. One came from a penalty, but 4 from open play as El Dos were embarrassed at their home ground to a chorus of boos from the fans. Zarzaquemada earned a second straight 3-0 win, this time beating Estudiantes - who earned a second straight 3-0 loss. Funny how these things work. Las Fresas, however, will not be finding their situation humorous at all - 12th in the table with 5 points and the same number of goals after 13 matches is a fatal blow. Estudiantes’ cross-district rivals Atletico Sevirife could not repeat their trick from earlier this season against the Yacht Club, who got away with a 1-0 win. Jerez, meanwhile, lost focus and lost the match against Sombra del Madrono. Santiago Suarez had the Rojos up 1-0 in the first half, but Sombra equalized through Ivan Perez just before the whistle blew. It was an unlikely candidate with the winner: Modesto San Gines, a late sub, headed in the winner from a free kick. Jerez have now dropped down to 5th in the league after 3 consecutive losses. On Monday evening, Union Heijendaal showed their better side in a 2-0 win over Oudolid Juniors. Gines van der Gracht created the first one with an assist, before smashing in a free kick for the 2nd. Despite recent setbacks, Union remain only 3 points off the lead of the division.

The game of the week was a Friday night special between Brienenoord and Chocolateria. This is one of the biggest rivalries of the division, with neither club particularly friendly to the other - and Choco received an extra-cold welcome this time. There is nothing quite like Estadio del Faro under the lights, and a brilliant atmosphere awaited the players on this occasion. Llorenzo van Bloomendaal’s return to the club where he matured and developed was not a happy homecoming - he was welcome with a ‘Judas’ banner and some vicious chants anytime he was near the ball. While in the reverse fixture Choco and van Bloomendaal had the last laugh, today it was Brienenoord: Garcia, Hidalgo, del Valle each had one and the hosts were running circles around their visitors. “Brinenoord, Brienenoord, what will we do today?” rang out for 20 minutes straight towards the end of the match as El Bri get a famous victory over their hated foe. “Feels brilliant, that’s our game and when our players have the Faro fully behind them, under the lights… that is just an honour to hear how they appreciated our game tonight,” said Brienenoord manager Cristobo Vinas. “I knew how it was going to be. Of course it’s disappointing, but I’ve played in front of that crowd before and yeah, I knew what to expect. It’s sad, but I’m more focused on the manner in which we lost tonight and trying to get better for the rest of the season,” said the man with a target on his back all night, van Bloomendaal.

Matchday 14

Chocolateria 2–0 Union Heijendaal
Oudolid Juniors 3–5 Jerez
Sombra del Madrono 1–1 Real Club de Yates
Atletico Sevirife 0–3 Zarzaquemada
Estudiantes 1–1 Fernando II
Real Majadahonda 3–0 Brienenoord

Chocolateria needed a reset match after last week’s drubbing from Brienenoord, and they got it by avenging their earlier defeat against Union Heijendaal. Union actually kept up with Choco for most of the match, playing some good stuff at times - and fans will ask ‘what if’ after an early Antonio Madrid chance hit the crossbar. But in the end, it’s Xepe Simon and Pascoal de Pena who drive Choco past their opponents to stay top on goal difference - the P1 curse does not, it seem, strike twice in a row for Choco. Sombra del Madrono scored in the 90+5 to frustrate Real Club de Yates to a 1-1 draw. Gregori Bacardi had the goal for the Pensionistas, who were earlier in the match denied what seemed on replay to be a clear penalty. 3 straight 3-0 wins? Zarzaquemada get it done again, this time taking down Atletico Sevirife on the road. Gasto Serralonga had a hat-trick today, and has 6 of the 9 goals scored in this little streak. Estudiantes and Fernando II played one of the worst games you’ll see this year, Estudiantes picking up a key point however. For Fernando II, it must be devastating - the season started so promising, reaching the Copa de la Canonizacion final for the first time in club history and up as high as 2nd. But following injuries they are now down to 8th and could fall even further. Brienenoord were perhaps a bit hungover from the win over Choco last week, and the answer to ‘what will we do today’ this week was a 3-0 loss to Real Majadahonda. Maja are now tied with Choco on points, trailing only on goal difference.

The match of the week this time around isn’t a derby or a fierce rivalry - it’s just some good old fashioned excellent football. Oudolid Juniors hosted Jerez on a cool Saturday mid-afternoon, a risk of rain never realized but overcast skies over the San Antonio stadium. The hosts scored first, through Llorenzo Barela, but Jerez were soon equal through Santiago Suarez. Then 2-1 Jerez, then 2-2, then 3-2 Oudolid, then 3-3 - all before halftime. It was reminiscent of Oudolid’s 8-4 loss to Choco earlier this year. The second half, though, was all Jerez. Veteran striker Artur Aguilera made it 4-3 after a few minutes with a real poacher’s effort, before converting a penalty later in the game to put the icing on the cake. 5-3 the final, as Jerez stop their losing streak and will try to refocus for a run of big games against their classic rivals coming up. “We needed that badly, and although the performance wasn’t perfect it’s something we can take positives from,” said the gaffer Pau Navarro. Oudolid’s Barela, meanwhile, was a bit downtrodden: “It’s just not good enough for this club to be 11th… we need more effort in every single area, we are really in a fight here.” His words will not calm the nerves of the fans - Oudolid sit 5 points ahead of Estudiantes but 5 points behind Atletico Sevirife.

Matchday 15

Real Majadahonda 3–3 Chocolateria
Brienenoord 3–1 Estudiantes
Fernando II 1–6 Atletico Sevirife
Zarzaquemada 2–0 Sombra del Madrono
Real Club de Yates 0–0 Oudolid Juniors
Jerez 1–3 Union Heijendaal

Estudiantes have been a punching bag for most of the league this season - and that continued Saturday afternoon at the Faro as Brienenoord raced to a 3-1 win. Gines Garcia continued what’s been a great campaign so far with a brace, although a late goal from Estudiantes made things interesting before Anaya Novoa grabbed the third. Atletico Sevirife crushed Fernando II, 6-1 the final score - including 4 goals from Esteve Madirole. Fernando II can officially be considered in crisis mode - Nocenci Caamar is done for the foreseeable future, while there is hope Bartuelo Mon can come back after the winter break. Either way, this is a brutal stretch and the club are getting further and further away from the top 4. Zarzaquemada couldn’t make it 4 straight 3-0’s, but they do make it 4 straight clean sheets. Serxio Manon proves again why he is considered one of the best keepers in the division, but it’s really a team effort that has led to such a great defensive record. Speaking of great defending, those who keep an eye out for that were in for a treat as the Yacht Club and Oudolid Juniors draw 0-0 - a result Juniors will smile about and the Yacht Club certainly will not. Monday evening saw another shock result - Union Heijendaal are now 2 of 2 against Jerez this season. Antonio Madrid had the opening goal midway through the first half, and while Jerez would equalize, Union just seemed to be in control all night. Gasparo Junco had two in the second half to pick up the win for Heijendaal who are now sitting 6th in the league and keeping pace with the front runners - they have become impossible to write off.

Match of the week goes to Friday night’s Majadahonda derby. Real hosted this one after getting the win at La Factoria earlier this season in the first round of the derby. While Real would not get the win at home, it was an incredibly entertaining game from whistle to whistle. Full of that derby intensity - fouls, yellow cards, passion, some wonderful goals and some late heartache. The score was 2-1 Choco for much of the game, before Didac Aumatell managed to knock in a free kick and equalize for Maja. Moments later Ander Tudela actually had Maja into the lead - with just 6 minutes on the clock, it seemed as if Choco had thrown it all away. But moments into stoppage time, Pascoal de Pena equalized for Choco. Then, on the last attacking play of the game, Choco were given a penalty - now it was Maja who had thrown it away. Goalkeeper Benino Vellina, however, tipped de Pena’s penalty wide - heartbreak for both sides in the final stages, who are sitting 1st and 3rd in the table afterwards - tied on points the same with Zarzaquemada in 2nd. “Yeah, it doesn’t feel good, but we build from here,” said Pascoal de Pena after his last-moment miss. “I should’ve had their first goal, so it was just about having the lads’ back. They deserved something from this one,” said Benino Vellina.

Copa del Conde-Duque - Third Round

Real Majadahonda 0–0 Sombra del Madrono (1–0 AET)
Jerez 1–1 Barrionuevo (1–2 AET)
Atletico Sevirife 3–3 Brienenoord (3–3 AET) (2–4 pen.)
Estudiantes 0–0 Oudolid Juniors (0–0 AET) (4–3 pen.)
Todos Santos 2–1 Trece de Junio
Chocolateria 2–1 Real Club de Yates
Zarzaquemada 2–0 Deportivo Mariposa
Fernando II 1–2 Union Heijendaal

The Liga clubs entered the Cup in this round - and what a round it was. Real Majadahonda needed extra time in order to get past Sombra del Madrono, who put up a great fight but the Cup dream comes to an end. Real can be happy just to have survived the first round, given what else has occurred. The absolute upset of the round is certainly Barrionuevo’s win over Jerez - away, to boot. The two clubs’ stadiums are located just a few kilometres from each other, and a full away section was treated to one of the finest days in Barrionuevo club history. They held a 1-0 lead through much of the match, but Jerez equalized through Peruxu Garrigas late in normal time to send it to stoppage time. Ricardo Yanez, the Grupo II hero for Barrionuevo, had the winning goal that sends them to the Quarterfinal for the first time in 17 years, and their first win over a Big 4 club in over a decade, the last time they were in the Liga. Two matches went to penalties in this round - ironically both with quite opposite paths to get there. Sevi and Brienenoord threw caution to the wind, drawing 3-3 after 120 minutes before Sevi missed their first two penalties of the shootout to send Brienenoord through. Estudiantes and Oudolid, meanwhile, did not look particularly adapt at moving the ball into the opposition’s third, and the penalties were the most work the goalkeepers had all night. Luck fell the way of Las Fresas this time, and in a season they are almost sure to be relegated in, a Cup run could be at least one bright stop. Todos Santos defeated Trece de Junio 2-1, with a second-half winner, ensuring there will be 2 Grupo II sides in the Quarterfinal. The Big 4 battle between Choco and the Yacht Club was gladly welcomed by neutrals who always cheer against the top sides in this competition, and in the end Choco were able to knock out the Millonarios after a 2-1 win. Just 2 of the traditional Big 4 remain in the tournament now. Zarzaquemada defeated Mariposa in a fairly straightforward win, while Fernando II’s silverware hopes this season come to an end as Union Heijendaal continue good form to knock them out of the Cup.

In the Quarterfinal, Real Majadahonda will welcome Zarzaquemada to the western district, while Union Heijendaal get a favourable draw at home to Todos Santos. Barrionuevo will be happy to have drawn Chocolateria at home, which will bring an incredible amount of attention to the Estadio Barrionuevo when the day comes. Finally, Estudiantes will host Brienenoord in what could be an interesting clash.

Matchday 16

Chocolateria 1–3 Jerez
Union Heijendaal 1–1 Real Club de Yates
Oudolid Juniors 1–5 Zarzaquemada
Sombra del Madrono 1–1 Fernando II
Atletico Sevirife 0–4 Brienenoord
Estudiantes 0–0 Real Majadahonda

The last matchday before the winter break gave us some interesting results. Union Heijendaal continue their great record against the top sides in the division this year: only 1 loss, away to Chocolateria. Today they managed to hold the Yacht Club to a draw. The Millonarios are 7th and there is talk that manager Aritz Ferron, despite his positive attitude, could face the axe if things don’t improve. Zarzaquemada finally conceded a goal but they blew out Juniors, 5-1 being the final score. Gasto Serralonga is truly breaking out this season, 2 goals for him today and he is a big reason why Zarza are leading the league as we head into the break. Sombra del Madrono stop their recent slide and recover a point at home against Fernando II - it’s probably a point both sides will be happy with, given their recent results. We mentioned the breakout of Gasto Serralonga - he isn’t the only young striker having a great season, as Gines Garcia also had 2 for Brienenoord in a 4-0 win over Sevirife. There is consistent talk over which young forwards should be chosen to represent the national team when the time comes, and Garcia vs Serralonga is a question that is hot on the lips of everyone in San Gines at the moment. Brienenoord’s win moves them up to 4th in the league and just 3 points off Zarza at the top - after a poor start they have been on a tear in the league. On Monday evening, Estudiantes played their best game of the season as they held Real Majadahonda to a 0-0 draw. Majadahonda have an exceptionally talented side but just seem to be missing something in the final third that has caused them to struggle to score at certain points this season - if they want to win the league title this is going to have to change.

Match of the week goes to a surprising Clasico San Gines. La Factoria was full of flags and banners as the two forever rivals faced off, an excellent atmosphere with fireworks in the air marking the beginning of this Friday evening clash. National team debates have been a topic recently - we mentioned Garcia and Serralonga, for example - but the biggest without doubt has been Santiago Suarez vs Xepe Simon for the starting right wing position. Almost as if both knew about this topic, they challenged each other throughout the game, each making brilliant play after another. Suarez opened the scoring for Jerez, before assisting Aguilera for the 2nd - but Xepe Simon equalized just before the half. The second half saw Choco frantically searching for an equalizer, but a devastating Rojos counter attack saw Xamin Colombres tapping in the 3-1 insurance. A brilliant win for Jerez in the derby, some motivation for them going into the break, and red-green smoke filled the skies above La Factoria after the win. Jerez fans were celebrating long into the night. “An amazing feeling to win in their stadium, now we are going to train hard these next few weeks and pick up where we left off,” said Suarez. Chocolateria boss Mouricio Curniana was not impressed with his team’s performance: “So much needs to improve in order to fight for this title.” Going into the break, Choco now sit 3rd while Jerez sit 5th - although the clubs are tied on points.

#  Liga TeleGines         Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Zarzaquemada            16    9   3   4    33   15  +18    30
 2 Real Majadahonda        16    8   4   4    25   20   +5    28
 3 Chocolateria            16    8   3   5    38   26  +12    27
 4 Brienenoord             16    8   3   5    35   26   +9    27
 5 Jerez                   16    8   3   5    34   29   +5    27
 6 Union Heijendaal        16    7   3   6    32   20  +12    24
 7 Real Club de Yates      16    6   5   5    21   14   +7    23
 8 Fernando II             16    5   6   5    24   29   −5    21
 9 Sombra del Madrono      16    5   6   5    17   25   −8    21
10 Atletico Sevirife       16    6   1   9    28   38  −10    19
11 Oudolid Juniors         16    3   3  10    16   35  −19    12
12 Estudiantes             16    1   4  11     7   33  −26     7

5 Burning Questions

5. Oudolid Juniors have heavily struggled this season - they are sitting in the play-off relegation zone with almost half the season completed. Can they pick themselves up and figure things out, or is it going to be a crisis season at San Antonio?
4. Fernando II’s key injury losses see them 8th after a brilliant start. Can this season be salvaged, especially with their recent goalscoring troubles and the loss of Nocenci Caamar?
3. Union Heijendaal, the surprise of the first quarter of the season, remain the surprise almost halfway through - 6th place and just 6 points off the lead of the division. The question we asked last time remains unanswered: who are they, and can they truly compete for IFCF football until the end of the season?
2. The Big 4 sides have struggled for consistency so far - who is going to be the first one to figure things out? Jerez had their chances and failed, Maja seem to have issues scoring, while Choco have just never carried over a performance from one match to another. Which is the easiest to fix over the 2 week break?
1. Zarzaquemada lead the league table, while Brienenoord sit 4th. With chaos in the league, and the Big 4 not living up to their names as of yet, is this a season where we could see one of the 3 Bridesmaids taking home the league title? And if so - which will it be between the two? Both had poor runs near the start of the season before setting the league ablaze with recent form - who will go down in flames first?

[San Gines]

Liga Ginense Season I Part III

Matchday 17

Estudiantes 0–3 Chocolateria
Real Majadahonda 9–5 Atletico Sevirife
Brienenoord 1–0 Sombra del Madrono
Fernando II 0–4 Oudolid Juniors
Zarzaquemada 1–1 Union Heijendaal
Real Club de Yates 5–1 Jerez

Chocolateria looked greatly improved coming back from the winter break, as they started things off just fine with a 3-0 win over Estudiantes. Pascoal de Pena and Xepe Simon had the goals, as El Glorioso now sit only 1 point off the top of the league. What has been the running story for Real Majadahonda this year? A great defence and an awful offense. Neither of those were on display when they hosted Atletico Sevirife. Fans watching this one were treated to 14 total goals, of which 8 came in the first half as Maja led 5-3 at the break. When Sevirife made it 5-4, there was a bit of nervousness in the home end. Quick goals from Maja made it 7-4 not long after, however. 3 of the goals came in the final 10 minutes of the game: Sevi scoring after a great counter-attack to make it 7-5, Maja scoring immediately off the kick-off from that goal, and Maja adding one more late in stoppage time as Sevi tried to push everything forward. Valiente Casona was the star man today, with 4 goals in the game - doubling his tally from the season so far. Brienenoord continued their great run with a strong win over Sombra del Madrono. Although it was only 1-0, Brienenoord never looked like conceding at any point in the game and missed a few chances to extend their lead. Fernando II, meanwhile, continue their poor run of form. Bartuelo Mon has had a setback in recovery and is ruled out for another 4 weeks or so, and the effect it is having on the defensive record for El Dos is shocking: a 4-0 loss to Oudolid Juniors, and between MD10 when they sat 2nd in the league and today they have conceded 21 goals. Oudolid will be pleased with a brilliant performance, Romeu Sauri scoring twice while Llorenzo Barela and Xines Miranda had one each. Oudolid now sit only 4 points behind Sevirife. League leaders Zarzaquemada were held to a draw by Union Heijendaal. Antonio Madrid, who is really proving himself as a star this season, had the late equalizer for Union. Zarza remain top of the league on 31 points, but we will find out if the P1 curse still applies when they face Jerez next week.

The match of the week is without a doubt the Jerez derby. While the Rojos won the first leg at home, Real Club de Yates were very determined to change the story the second time around this season. Tension was in the air and the streets around the Estadio San Gines as rival fans clashed in the streets around the stadium. Once everyone was inside, however, things were going only one way: the Millonarios dismantled Jerez today, much to the dismay of their away section and the delight of the home crowd. Perez, Hontoria, Suarez made it 3-0 in the first half, and the game was out of the hands of Jerez completely when Perez struck again to make it 4-0 just a few minutes after the second half started. While Jerez would get one back late in an effort to make the scoreline a little less embarrassing, late sub Asier Catalan knocked another in for the Yacht Club. 5-1 is the final score in a major six-pointer - Real Club are now only 1 point back of Jerez, who sit 5th in the league. Can the Millonarios set things straight after a difficult first half of the season and fight for IFCF football? “It’s not over till it’s over,” said Aritz Ferron - a few weeks ago there were rumours of his sacking, today he is a hero once again.

Matchday 18

Chocolateria 0–0 Real Club de Yates
Jerez 6–0 Zarzaquemada
Union Heijendaal 1–0 Fernando II
Oudolid Juniors 4–4 Brienenoord
Sombra del Madrono 3–1 Real Majadahonda
Atletico Sevirife 1–1 Estudiantes

It’s quite rare that snow comes to San Gines - but those were the conditions Chocolateria and Real Club de Yates had to deal with on Friday night. While neither side were willing to blame the conditions in the aftermath, it was clear they were both a bit off and this one goes down as a 0-0 draw, 1 point each, clean slate for next week. By the weekend, sunshine had melted all of that snow away and the conditions were much better for Union Heijendaal’s win over Fernando II. Fernando II are now in 9th and have really fallen apart in the league - is manager Lano Llamazares’ position on the line? One would have to think no, given the loyalty he has shown the club over the years and the difficult injury situation. Oudolid Juniors were up 4-2 on Brienenoord with just 15 minutes to go, but they’ve managed to throw it away. A rash decision from Moises Saldana led to a penalty that Gines Garcia converted, before Dioclecia Donadeu knocked in a long-range cannon of a shot in stoppage time to save a point for the visitors. Real Majadahonda went back to their offensive impotence but unfortunately the defensive struggles lasted another week - a 1-0 lead early for Maja in the Estadio Parco was washed away by 3 Sombra del Madrono goals in the second half. Finally on Monday night it was the Sevirife derby. This time around it ends in a draw, but both sides will be disappointed with that: Sevi because they know that at home against the current bottom side is a missed opportunity for points and derby bragging rights, while Estudiantes really needed the win - they are now 12 points away from safety in the division.

Match of the week goes to Jerez recovering from a drubbing at the hands of their hated rivals to deliver a drubbing to the now former first place side. Zarzaquemada came into this one a bit uneasy after last week’s draw, and Jerez pounced on it. They were all over Zarza in the first half, but just 2-0 up at the break. It was the red card of Misael Curniana that blew it wide open, Artur Aguilera had a hat-trick in just 23 minutes after before Santiago Suarez scored the insulting 6th goal. The Estadio Jerez, which was perhaps a bit down on their boys before the game after last week’s result, was back in full spirit and voice by the end of the game, and there is once again great belief around the team. “We are still in this fight for the title,” said Suarez. Zarzaquemada players would not speak to the media following the loss and headed back home as soon as possible after the match. What a season we are having so far - spots 1 through 4 in the table have the same amount of points (31) while Jerez in 5th now have 30 points. The title and IFCF football are truly all up for grabs.

Matchday 19

Atletico Sevirife 1–2 Chocolateria
Estudiantes 1–1 Sombra del Madrono
Real Majadahonda 1–0 Oudolid Juniors
Brienenoord 0–2 Union Heijendaal
Fernando II 1–1 Jerez
Zarzaquemada 3–3 Real Club de Yates

No hint of a curse for Chocolateria - ignore the 55 minutes they spent down 1-0. In the end, they got the job done, take the three points with them from the easternmost part of the city to the west, and continue to lead the Liga Ginense. Estudiantes would’ve been disappointed with a draw last week against eternal rivals Atletico Sevirife - but this time around, at home to Sombra del Madrono, it’s a result their fans are quite happy with. Las Fresas have only 1 win this season, and hopes of staying up are fading rapidly. Getting a draw today is not a missed opportunity and keeps them 7 points behind at least the playoff zone. That spot, #11, is currently occupied by Oudolid Juniors, who lost 1-0 to Real Majadahonda. This is the classic Maja we have come to know this season - needing plenty of chances to get their 1 goal, but giving up almost nothing at the other end. Today it secures them an important 3 points and keeps the pressure on everyone else around them. That pressure possibly impacted the other clubs on Sunday and Monday - it was not a great stretch for title contenders in the Liga Ginense. Union Heijendaal, who earlier in this season lost at home to Brienenoord, a match that plenty of people felt was the end of Union’s great run, get a brilliant result against their neighbours and rivals. Heijendaal were ferocious on the counter-attack, again - something that has been very difficult to stop this season. 2-0 was the final score and Union are now sitting 4th. This has been the story of the year in Ginense football and it seems to be rolling right along. Fernando II finally have points again, but they come in a surprising way: 1-1 with Jerez was certainly not expected, after the Rojos demolition of Zarzaquemada last week. Jerez fans will claim the referee did not do them any favours with a crucial penalty not given, but it was overall a very bad performance from the visitors.

Match of the week was Monday night again as Zarzaquemada hosted Real Club de Yates. Both sides had different hopes and expectations coming into this one, the Yacht Club hoping to continue a good run of form recently while Zarza needed to recover after the brutal loss to Jerez. Neither really did that - there will be negatives both teams are focusing on coming out of this one. Zarza’s defending was once again inadequate - Serxio Mazon has been off his game, last week and today, and he practically gave away the first goal of the match with a poor clearance. But for the Yacht Club, they virtually gave away the game up 3-1 at the half before allowing Zarza to get themselves back into it. In addition to that, one point each means that both clubs lose a bit of pace with the league leaders. Zarza are still looking fine in 3rd, but the Yacht Club are now sitting 7th, far below their expectations for the season. “I have to hold my hands up and apologize, I know I can do better for this club,” said Mazon. Real Club manager Aritz Ferron, meanwhile, said “We have a lot of work to do but I’m confident in these players.”

Matchday 20

Chocolateria 6–3 Zarzaquemada
Real Club de Yates 3–1 Fernando II
Jerez 4–0 Brienenoord
Union Heijendaal 1–1 Real Majadahonda
Oudolid Juniors 3–3 Estudiantes
Sombra del Madrono 2–1 Atletico Sevirife

Real Club de Yates claimed they needed a lot of work after last week’s draw - today was a great job done at home against Fernando II, they held the same lead at half-time as they did last week (3-1) except this time they managed the game well in the second half and came away with all three points. Brienenoord are in trouble - 6-0 over their last two games, and today against Jerez they looked absolutely helpless. What has brought this on? Is it just the typical coming down to earth after a great run? Either way, Jerez ran them off the pitch and Santiago Suarez had two goals. Jerez don’t seem to play normal games - they either win or lose by several goals. Union Heijendaal’s excellent record against the Big 4 continues with a 1-1 draw against Majadahonda. It was an unlikely hero getting the job done this time - Aleixo de Andrade, who has earned plenty of plaudits for his heroic efforts in defence this season, flicked in the tying goal from a late corner. Would you believe that Union are still 4th in the league and really need to be considered as fighting for an IFCF spot? It has been a magical season for the turquoise club so far. Estudiantes have 3 games in a row with points for the first time this season, which is a good thing - but fans will be wondering just how they managed to miss a penalty in the final moments that could’ve given them a crucial 3 points in the relegation race. The miss, however, will be welcomed by Oudolid Juniors - their point allows them to be only 3 points behind Atletico Sevirife in the race for the play-off relegation spot. Sevi dropped points away to Sombra del Madrono, who are quietly going about their business again and are now in 8th place. It’s been a very good season for the Pensionistas so far, and this win now brings them even closer to the clubs ahead.

Match of the week sees Chocolateria hosting Zarzaquemada on Friday night, and it’s another match that is completely full of goals. This was a Chocolateria side that we haven’t seen since the opening two weeks of the season - furious in attack, leaving their opponents far behind. Pascoal de Pena had two goals in the first half, but it was the performance of Xepe Simon in this game that had everyone talking: 4 assists for the young winger. Choco led by as much as 5-1 at points, before Urba Thomas was sent off. A bit of poor decision making from the youngster who was already on a yellow card. Zarza sensed a way back into the game and threw caution to the wind, coming as close as 5-3 and a corner off the crossbar from really making the home side sweat. But that all-out attack can also have drawbacks, and 10-men Choco exposed that with a late goal for Lluciano Fierros that made it 6-3. Choco stay top of the league - the P1 curse did not affect them this week in the end. “A great day for me, yeah, but all that matters is the result,” said Xepe Simon, who received a loud ovation from the home fans when he was subbed off in stoppage time.

Matchday 21

Sombra del Madrono 0–1 Chocolateria
Atletico Sevirife 3–1 Oudolid Juniors
Estudiantes 0–1 Union Heijendaal
Real Majadahonda 0–1 Jerez
Brienenoord 0–6 Real Club de Yates
Fernando II 3–3 Zarzaquemada

Chocolateria keep up their recent great form and grab a 1-0 win away to Sombra del Madrono. Sombra have made their home stadium a difficult place to play this season and Choco did well to come away with the win, the winning goal coming from the head of Dolfo Sanchez. That win is good enough to keep Choco top of the league. Atletico Sevirife take all 3 points in an important clash with Oudolid Juniors, it was 2-1 for a long period and the Cathedral club were pushing hard, but Sevi come away with the 3 points. Union Heijendaal’s excellent form continues and they are now sitting third in the competition following a 1-0 win over Estudiantes. It was a scrappy game, and Union perhaps didn’t quite live up to the quality they have had all season - but a win is a win and they can be very happy with this one. Jerez prevailed over Real Majadahonda in a game that will be remembered mostly for the moment that led to the goal: a foul from Euloxu Aviles, rare that you see the big centre back flustered, but a particularly bad one that led to a penalty converted by Artur Aguilera. 1-0, and Maja just could not do anything after that one. On Monday evening, Fernando II and Zarzaquemada played out an exciting 3-3 draw at the Estadio Fernando II in the north side of the city. It was back and forth all night, each team leading at points, but in the end it was the goal of Gasto Serrallonga that brought Zarza level and saved them a point.

Last week we mentioned Brienenoord were in a bit of a crisis, conceding 6 and scoring 0 in 2 games. Now it is 12 against and 0 for in 3 games, as the Yacht Club absolutely smashed them. It’s not like this was a case of ‘oh the score made it look worse.’ This match was like if Real Club had headed to Parco de Sombra on a Sunday afternoon and taken on a local U15s side instead of a Liga Ginense match. Elias Perez had a hat-trick and Brienenoord fans whistled pretty much the entire game at their team. So the question is: what the hell is happening here? There are all kinds of rumours in the press. Did half the team get secretly arrested for a drug-fueled party after the win over Chocolateria? Is Caitano Juncos sleeping with Antolin Marina’s girlfriend? Let’s be honest, those headlines and ITK ‘stories’ are sensational and not true… probably. But something is clearly with this Brienenoord team right now and they do not look like a ‘team’ at all - arguments on the pitch during and after the loss. Cristobo Vinas hinted at something in his post-game presser: “What needs to happen is we all need to come together and focus on being the best version of ourselves in the rest of the season.” Whether this is something that is already online, or won’t be revealed until a player writes an autobiography in 10 years, remains to be seen.

Matchday 22

Chocolateria 2–1 Fernando II
Zarzaquemada 1–1 Brienenoord
Real Club de Yates 0–0 Real Majadahonda
Jerez 3–0 Estudiantes
Union Heijendaal 0–0 Atletico Sevirife
Oudolid Juniors 1–0 Sombra del Madrono

It was a week of rumours surrounding Brienenoord - but they actually played a solid match this Saturday, scoring their first goal in a few weeks and managing to take a point off Zarzaquemada. Gines Garcia had the goal for El Bri, he was emotional following a difficult week in which rumours of scandals and intrigue inside the Estadio del Faro were all the rage around the league. The two Reals met in an important battle for both sides, but couldn’t find a goal between them. It’s a difficult one to take for Maja especially, who are slipping further behind their rivals in the race for the league title. Jerez, one of those title rivals, made the most of those lost points for 2 of the Big 4 clubs by doing a great job to defeat Estudiantes 3-0. Santiago Suarez had 2, Lucas Laza the other, and Jerez and Chocolateria seem to be starting to separate themselves from everyone else. Union Heijendaal remain 3rd in the league, but they have to be disappointed with a draw at home to Sevirife. Union just weren’t clinical enough, and while they defended perfectly at all times - is it ok to criticize them for failing to win matches like this? Of course 3rd place is a spot no-one expected them to be in at this point, but now that they are here, they are in the race for IFCF football and this is a bit of a stutter-step. Oudolid Juniors grabbed an important win over Sombra del Madrono on Monday evening to close out the week, Oudolid have looked quite good in recent weeks.

Frankly, none of these matches will be particularly memorable come the end of the season - but Chocolateria’s 2-1 win over Fernando II gets the nod for match of the week. El Dos received a big boost going into this one when Bartuelo Mon was announced in the starting lineup, after missing several weeks with a leg injury. But it was always going to be a big challenge to find form after such a difficult run of games, especially when up against Chocolateria. Choco were up 2-0 in the first half, the goals from Simon and Campana, but Fernando II found a way to not give up and try to get themselves back in it. The stage was set: Mon himself knocked in a header from the corner. But in the end, the visitors could not finish the storybook comeback, and Chocolateria take the win. It’s really looking as if it will be a straight duel between Choco and Jerez for the league title this season, each side has looked strong in recent weeks and it’s possible the final Clasico - and potentially Matchday 34 - could be decisive.

Copa del Conde-Duque - Quarterfinal

Real Majadahonda 1–1 Zarzaquemada (2–1 AET)
Union Heijendaal 4–3 Todos Santos
Barrionuevo 2–3 Chocolateria
Estudiantes 0–2 Brienenoord

Some exciting matches in the Quarterfinal! Real Majadahonda prevailed over Zarzaquemada in extra time, with the winning goal coming from the boot of Didac Aumatell - a drive from 25 yards into the top right corner - that will be on highlight reels and has Maja into the semifinal. Union Heijendaal were expecting to have an easy time with Todos Santos - instead, they got the most difficult challenge they have faced yet in the Copa. The Grupo II visitors actually led 2-0 at one point before Heijendaal turned things around, but late in the game it almost seemed more likely Todos Santos would equalize than not - however, Union kept things steady and are into the semifinal in what has been an all-around excellent year for the club. Chocolateria also struggled with Grupo II opposition, in the match all neutrals had an eye on at the Estadio Barrionuevo. The home side made a late rally, actually out-scoring Choco 2-1 in the second half - but it was not to be, and Choco also advance. Brienenoord put recent struggles behind them to beat Estudiantes and reach the semifinal - a Copa win could put a lot of the problems of this season behind the lighthouse club.

The semifinals, which will be played over 2 legs, will see Union Heijendaal take on Real Majadahonda and Chocolateria face Brienenoord. Union and Choco will host the first match, Maja and El Bri the second. Of course, the odds will tell you the likeliest outcome is Maja-Choco in the final - but don’t be surprised if either Heijendaal or Brienenoord are able to rock that boat. Heijendaal have been beating the odds all year long, and Brienenoord are always strong in the Copa.

Matchday 23

Oudolid Juniors 1–1 Chocolateria
Union Heijendaal 1–0 Sombra del Madrono
Jerez 1–0 Atletico Sevirife
Real Club de Yates 2–1 Estudiantes
Zarzaquemada 3–3 Real Majadahonda
Fernando II 5–3 Brienenoord

Chocolateria are finally held without a win for the first time in a few weeks - Oudolid Juniors deny them at the San Antonio, 1-1 the final score. Choco are still in first place, but this kind of result is something that could come back to bite them. They were definitely the better side on the night, just couldn’t take their chances. Saturday’s matches saw a pair of 1-0 wins for some of the top sides in the league. Gines van der Gracht lifted Union Heijendaal to a win over Sombra del Madrono, while Jerez needed saving late from Artur Aguilera in a 1-0 victory over Sevi. Real Club got away with one against Estudiantes, they were trailing 1-0 as late as the 71st minute before coming back to win this one. Zarzaquemada and Real Majadahonda faced off on Sunday afternoon as both sides desperately needed something to get themselves back into the fight at the top of the league. In the end, neither will be upset, but neither too happy either. Zarza had all three goals come from Gasto Serrallonga - despite the team’s struggles of late, their talismanic forward has not stopped banging them in. Real were forced to play catch-up, down 2-0 at half-time, but did so in excellent fashion and probably had the better of the chances to come away with the win in this one. However, the draw means that both sides have been passed by the Yacht Club for the 4th and final IFCF place.

Match of the week goes to Fernando II against Brienenoord. Brienenoord played some very solid stuff at times, which will be a positive for their fans to take from this match after a few rough weeks. But more positive was the performance of Fernando II, who once again looked like the side they were in the first 2 months of the season. El Dos led the match 3-1 at halftime, while Brienenoord fought back in the second half. However, in the end, El Dos were simply too much for the visitors from two neighbourhoods east. The rumour mill had slightly died down at Brienenoord, but when one journalist posted to social media “If what I’m hearing is true, there are going to be some major changes this summer #Brienenoord.” The post was taken down an hour later, leaving fans wondering even further what exactly is happening behind closed doors. The club have released a statement, saying “This has been a difficult time for everyone, what is important is that we get behind the team for the remaining matches of the season. The club will make no further comments at this time.”

Matchday 24

Chocolateria 3–1 Brienenoord
Real Majadahonda 3–1 Fernando II
Estudiantes 3–2 Zarzaquemada
Atletico Sevirife 1–2 Real Club de Yates
Sombra del Madrono 4–4 Jerez
Oudolid Juniors 1–1 Union Heijendaal

In what is a good preview for the upcoming Copa semifinal, Chocolateria grabbed victory over rivals Brienenoord at home. The rivalry matches have gone the way of the home side in each fixture so far this season, and Xepe Simon had the winning goal for Choco as Brienenoord are now without a win in 6 league matches. Real Majadahonda put Fernando II back down after the later side’s win last week had given them a great deal of momentum; Maja scored 3 quick goals in the first half hour of this one to take a commanding lead and all but put it to bed. They remain in 5th, but are now tied for 4th on points. Real Club de Yates would not repeat their early-season nightmare at the Estadio Municipal in Sevirife, this time around a late goal from Elias Perez delivered them the win. Sombra del Madrono hadn’t had the best go of things lately in the Liga, but today they were on a different level. The visitors were Jerez, who were quite confident of a victory. But the Pensionistas shocked everybody in the country with 2 goals in the opening 6 minutes, and Jerez were sinking without trace. However, a player like Santiago Suarez cannot be silence for too long and he drew Jerez level just before halftime. In the second half, it was a back-and-forth battle until the final whistle, the final equalizer for Sombra coming at 90+3 from the head of Estevo Barroso. Jerez are now a full 3 points behind Chocolateria in the standings. On Monday evening, Oudolid Juniors held Union Heijendaal to a draw, with super substitution Filipo Lopez drawing the home side level in the second half.

We had to honour Estudiantes’ second win of the season with game of the week honours. Hosting Zarzaquemada, almost everybody would’ve predicted a sure loss, but Las Fresas proved they still have some fight in them. Xenaro Lazo scored first and scored last in the game, as Zarza seemed a bit shook up by the home side’s fight. 3-2 is the final score and Estudiantes have their first win since Matchday 7’s Sevirife derby win over Atletico. Look - at this point in the season, 9 points behind the play-off relegation zone, and 11 from actual safety - Estudiantes are practically relegated already. It’s nice to see for everyone except Zarzaquemada fans, however, that they have not given up and are going to fight as long as is mathematically possible. While plenty has gone wrong this season, the fight was appreciated by their fans who applauded and cheered the players off for the first time in many matches today.

 # Liga TeleGines         Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
 1 Chocolateria            24   14   5   5    56   33  +23    47
 2 Jerez                   24   13   5   6    55   39  +16    44
 3 Real Club de Yates      24   11   8   5    42   21  +21    41
 4 Union Heijendaal        24   11   7   6    40   23  +17    40
 5 Real Majadahonda        24   11   7   6    43   34   +9    40
 6 Zarzaquemada            24    9   8   7    49   41   +8    35
 7 Brienenoord             24    9   5  10    45   51   −6    32
 8 Sombra del Madrono      24    7   8   9    27   36   −9    29
 9 Fernando II             24    6   8  10    36   49  −13    26
10 Atletico Sevirife       24    7   3  14    40   56  −16    24
11 Oudolid Juniors         24    5   7  12    31   48  −17    22
12 Estudiantes             24    2   7  15    16   49  −33    13

5 Matches to keep an eye on

5. Matchday 25, Union Heijendaal vs Chocolateria. The surprise of the season against the current front runners - can Union throw a spanner in the works?
4. Matchday 28, Jerez vs Real Club de Yates. The Jerez derby is always a heated one, and doubly so with Jerez chasing down Choco for the league title.
3. Matchday 26, Chocolateria vs Real Majadahonda. Speaking of derbies, the Majadahonda derby will be a spectacle and comes right in the middle of a tough run of fixtures for Choco - this is where the league will likely be won or lost.
2. Matchday 27, Jerez vs Chocolateria. The final (theoretically) Clasico of the season, which will be hosted by Jerez. This is a true six-pointer that is likely to determine just how important the run-in of the season is going to be, and if Jerez can use that home advantage to their benefit, it could be hugely important.
1. Matchday 34, #1 vs #2. Yes, this is cheating a bit, since we can’t predict who will be playing in this one. But the possibilities are really endless - right now, you would have to bet on Choco hosting Jerez, and if the title is within 3 points, that would be madness on the final day. Who could spoil the party? Both Reals seem good candidates, especially if the Millonarios take advantage of facing both Choco and Jerez in the upcoming matches, and say it quietly but Union Heijendaal have a pretty solid run of fixtures coming up that could allow them to take advantage of any slip-up at the top.

[San Gines]

Liga Ginense Season I Part IV

Matchday 25

Union Heijendaal 0–1 Chocolateria
Jerez 5–2 Oudolid Juniors
Real Club de Yates 0–1 Sombra del Madrono
Zarzaquemada 1–1 Atletico Sevirife
Fernando II 0–0 Estudiantes
Brienenoord 1–1 Real Majadahonda

Jerez smashed Oudolid Juniors at home, racing out to a 4-1 lead inside the first half. From then on it was smooth sailing for the Rojos, who keep pace with their main rivals for the championship and also draw a bit closer to them in goal differential. Real Club de Yates suffered a disappointing defeat at home to Sombra del Madrono, 1-0 the final score in that one. Dari Granes had the winning goal for Sombra, as the Yacht Club dropped to 9 points behind Chocolateria in the table. With spring showers falling in San Gines all weekend, it was clearly quite hard for each game to find its flow: outside of the Jerez-Oudolid clash, only 6 goals were scored across 7 games, and in no game did a team score more than 1 goal. Zarzaquemada’s Llorienzo Marcos missed a brilliant chance late in the game against Sevi, as the home side came away with a draw that they will be wishing was more. The Fernando II vs Estudiantes tie was the epitome of mud and pouring rain that is common in Ginense spring, it was a challenge for both teams to move the ball around and we ended with a 0-0 draw. On Monday evening in an important clash, Brienenoord managed to hand onto a 1-1 draw with Maja despite heavy pressure from their visitors late in the game.

Friday night saw an important clash between Union Heijendaal and Chocolateria. Going into the game after such an incredible season so far, Union were talked up constantly as a potential challenge for Choco on their route towards the title, and if Union’s IFCF challenge was for real. Despite the loss on Friday evening, one could argue that both things are true. This game wasn’t a battle, it was war. Under the lights, under the rain, each team fought desperately for the victory. There were some rough, heavy challenges - a great deal of controversy, too, when Union’s Lico Artime avoided a red card for a tough tackle against Xepe Simon that saw the Choco winger need medical attention. It seemed for a long time that this would be a memorable 0-0 for the home side - but Simon, with perhaps a bit of a desire for revenge, beat Artime in the box and then fired in a shot to the left post with just 4 minutes remaining to win the game for the visitors. Choco keep their lead at the top of the table and show that they can win in a dogfight, while Union proved again that they are no slouch in this league and definitely need to be taken seriously in the race for the top 4.

Matchday 26

Chocolateria 3–1 Real Majadahonda
Estudiantes 0–2 Brienenoord
Atletico Sevirife 2–0 Fernando II
Sombra del Madrono 2–2 Zarzaquemada
Oudolid Juniors 2–1 Real Club de Yates
Union Heijendaal 2–2 Jerez

Have Brienenoord found themselves again after a difficult few weeks? It may only be Estudiantes, the worst team in the league by a fair distance, but Brienenoord looked very good in a 2-0 victory, Gines Garcia getting both goals. Also winning 2-0 are Atletico Sevirife, over Fernando II. El Dos just can’t seem to find any momentum at the moment, and they are really paying the price for it - that was a crucial 6 pointer and Fernando II are now only 2 points above Oudolid Juniors in 11th, the play-off relegation place. While it isn’t a new thing for one of the 3 Bridesmaids to be in that position, it would be a shockingly bad ending to a season for a club that nearly won the biggest prize in Ginense football this same year. The derby match between Sombra del Madorno and Zarzaquemada ends in a 2-2 draw: while Sombra managed to beat their rivals at home earlier in the year, in what is likely to be the final derby of the season Zarza came from 2-0 behind at halftime to secure a point. Real Club de Yates have now lost 2 in a row to lower ranked opposition after the defeat away to Oudolid Juniors. Valiente Sanchez secured the win for Oudolid with a goal in the 74th minute, and the Millonarios’ title hopes appear to be over. It would take a great effort as they are now 12 points behind Chocolateria. After hosting Chocolateria last week, Union Heijendaal wanted a great result against Big 4 visitors Jerez - and they get just that. While last week it was a hard-fought 1-0 loss, this time around Heijendaal get the point they deserved from a battle with the Rojos, who have slipped further behind Choco in the table. Heijendaal just will not give up, and their fight for an IFCF place - that could potentially change the entire future of this club - carries on for another week.

The Majadahonda derby grabs match of the week-end honours. Although they didn’t know it at the time, all of Chocolateria’s main rivals would drop points at some point. The derby victory takes them 5 points clear of Jerez at the top, and 12 clear of Real Club de Yates and Union Heijendaal behind them. There seemed to be a quiet confidence amongst the table toppers for the entire week leading up to this one, lots of talk of ‘getting the job done’ and ‘playing our way,’ while Maja seemed more desperate: “We need to go all-out to get the points and keep in this race,” said manager Rafael Tost. When the time to play came, Choco were just a level up on their neighbours: Xepe Simon ran the show, with a goal and 2 assists, while it was a wonderful shot from Pascoal de Pena from outside the box that made it 1-0 and set the northwest Majadahonda outfit on their way. The district rivals were handled quite easily, and Choco seem to be marching on towards the title.

Copa del Conde-Duque - Semifinal First Leg

Union Heijendaal 1–1 Real Majadahonda
Chocolateria 1–1 Brienenoord

A tense set of first leg fixtures ends with the picture of who will be in the final no clearer than we were after the Quarterfinals. Union Heijendaal thought they were off to the races with an early goal, but even after their derby day defeat at the weekend Real Majadahonda fought their way back into this one, earning a key away goal before the second leg at home next week. Brienenoord also surprised Chocolateria, scoring halfway through the second half to even things up and set up a crucial second leg in this historic rivalry - while Brienenoord’s league campaign may have died on the vine, reaching the Cup final and beating their rivals would be something still to celebrate.

Matchday 27

Jerez 3–1 Chocolateria
Real Club de Yates 1–3 Union Heijendaal
Zarzaquemada 3–3 Oudolid Juniors
Fernando II 1–3 Sombra del Madrono
Brienenoord 1–0 Atletico Sevirife
Real Majadahonda 4–0 Estudiantes

Union Heijendaal continue their exceptional record this year against the Big 4 clubs - only 2 losses - with a beautiful away win over Real Club de Yates. It was an exceptional demonstration of what has made El Union great this year - counter-attacking football that blitzes the opposition and cannot be stopped. Antonio Madrid had the first two goals, and he has truly been the superstar for Union this year, transitioning instantly to the Liga and tearing it up. Zarzaquemada, meanwhile, needed a Gasto Serrallonga hat-trick to equalize with Oudolid Juniors - who picked a very good time of the season to heat up and are now only 1 point away from reaching safety. Fernando II’s bad luck continues - they lose again, this time at home to Sombra del Madrono, and their fans demanded the players explain themselves to the ultras after what the supporters believed was a clear lack of passion. There is some good news for Fernando II: forward Nocenci Caamar, who many believed to be done for the season, could actually make his return around Matchday 31, if rumours are to be believed. A weakened Brienenoord squad, with all eyes clearly on Wednesday night at the Faro against Chocolateria in the Cup, faced and defeated Atletico Sevirife 1-0, Marti Cisquell getting the winner. Real Majadahonda defeated Estudiantes 4-0 in probably the least surprising result of the weekend.

Friday night everybody’s eyes were on the Clasico San Gines, where one of two questions would be answered: are Choco going to run away with the title from here on? Or can Jerez slow them down and stake their own claim? The atmosphere was brilliant - as it always is for a Clasico under the lights in Jerez, where the stadium literally vibrates with singing and jumping - as the Jerez fans welcomed their team with a massive tifo encouraging their boys to ‘fight until the end.’ Jerez would do just that, with Santiago Suarez showing his class with a brilliant goal 24 minutes into the match that would set the tone for the rest of the night. Artur Aguilera had the hosts 2-0 up by halftime, and while Pascoal de Pena would try to get Choco back into it with a goal with just under 15 minutes remaining, Aguilera’s second of the night secured 3 points for Jerez. This result throws the title race up in the air: Choco could have been 8 points ahead with a win tonight; instead Jerez are now only 2 points back of their rivals. And, let’s be honest, it probably won’t happen, but… Real Majadahonda and Union Heijendaal (yes) are only 9 points behind. Difficult, yes, but not impossible. 21 points remain on the board with 7 matches left - who are going to be the heroes for their neighbourhood?

Copa del Conde-Duque - Semifinal Second Leg

Real Majadahonda 2–0 Union Heijendaal
Brienenoord 1–0 Chocolateria

The home sides both win in the second leg - and we have a very interesting Cup final coming up. While Union Heijendaal have sustained an underdog run in the league, they couldn’t quite get over the line in the Copa - Maja scored twice in the second half to advance. Chocolateria, frankly, seemed exhausted from a tricky schedule of late with 3 huge matches in a row in the league mixed with the two semifinal fixtures - Gines Garcia’s goal came 9 minutes in, and Brienenoord simply outran and outfought the visitors for the rest of the night. Their fans urged them on to victory with an excellent atmosphere at the Faro under the lights. So, at the end of the season, we will see Real Majadahonda take on Brienenoord. Maja last took home the Copa 9 years ago, while it has been 15 for Brienenoord. A win for Maja would make them the winningest side in the history of the Copa - currently tied 20 each with their derby rivals Chocolateria. There is also history on the line for Brienenoord, a win would solidify their place as the best Copa side historically of the 3 Bridesmaids, and take them only 1 trophy behind Zarzaquemada in the all-time rankings. On paper, you would have to figure Majadahonda have the edge - but Brienenoord are, as always, feisty in this competition.

Matchday 28

Chocolateria 0–1 Estudiantes
Atletico Sevirife 1–1 Real Majadahonda
Sombra del Madrono 2–1 Brienenoord
Oudolid Juniors 1–1 Fernando II
Union Heijendaal 1–0 Zarzaquemada
Jerez 0–1 Real Club de Yates

A crazy weekend in the Liga Ginense! Atletico Sevirife held Real Majadahonda to a draw, which still serves as a point gained for Maja in the title fight - which can probably once again be considered a fight, given results around the league. Brienenoord perhaps had a bit too much of a party after their win against Choco mid-week, as they seemed a bit out of gas by the end of their clash with Sombra del Madrono. Sombra will be more than happy with the 3 points that move them up to 7th in the division. Oudolid Juniors and Fernando II faced off in a real 6 pointer at the bottom of the league, and in the end, neither side will be particularly happy: 1-1 is the final, 1 point remains the gap between them, but Oudolid will be rueing missed chances while Fernando II need their effort levels to increase in the final weeks of the season. Union Heijendaal were the only of the title challengers (it feels very strange typing this) to win this weekend, with a 1-0 win over Zarzaquemada. Gines van der Gracht banged in the free kick to bring all 3 points back to Heijendaal. Normally a Jerez derby would be the story of the week, but the only factor people are really talking about after this is that Jerez have failed to go top of the league. The game itself was a fierce one, hard challenges and great chances missed before Elias Perez knocked the winner in off a corner late in the game. Millonarios fans took delight in chanting “Absolutely nothing for Jerez,” believing they may have stopped their local rivals from winning the title.

We have featured a great number of upsets this season so far - it has kind of been the running theme. But this one takes the cake: #12 in the league, all but confirmed going down, defeats the #1. Chocolateria will have plenty of excuses: practically 3 Copa finals in a row the last 3 weeks, plus the semi-final of the actual Copa against Brienenoord. But in reality, there is no excuse for losing at home to the worst team in the league when you need to be at your best to take home the title. Estudiantes were simply fresher in the legs than their opponents, and the famous goal comes from Xenaro Lazo in the 56th minute. La Factoria was virtually silent after that, not sure what to make of their team’s loss. It is lucky for Chocolateria that almost all of their rivals also dropped points this weekend - they remain 2 points ahead of Jerez at the top of the table. Further back are Union Heijendaal (6pts) and Real Majadahonda (8pts).

Matchday 29

Real Club de Yates 3–1 Chocolateria
Zarzaquemada 1–1 Jerez
Fernando II 0–4 Union Heijendaal
Brienenoord 0–0 Oudolid Juniors
Real Majadahonda 1–1 Sombra del Madrono
Estudiantes 3–1 Atletico Sevirife

Yes, the story is Chocolateria’s collapse in recent weeks - but we need to also talk about Jerez’s failure to capitalize on it. A draw with Zarzaquemada, when for the second straight week they could have gone top, is simply not good enough. “It seems like we just don’t want it,” said manager Pau Navarro - Jerez will need to pick things up in the remaining weeks if they want to take home this title. Union Heijendaal, meanwhile, demolished Fernando II - who are now officially in the play-off relegation spot on goal difference after another demoralizing loss. El Dos are simply drowning right now, and it might not be possible to save this season so close to the end, even with Nocenci Caamar edging closer to a return. Union, meanwhile, are only 3 points off Chocolateria. Neutrals across the country rejoice. Brienenoord can’t really fight for anything in the Liga anymore, and they seem to be all eyes on the Copa final. It wasn’t their best performance at home against Oudolid Juniors, but in the end both sides will take away a point. Oudolid, for all their struggles this season, have found a way lately to just pick up points and it may just bring them to safety this season. Real Majadahonda also failed to take advantage of the blood Choco left in the water - they give up a late goal to Sombra del Madrono, keeping them 7 points away from the top spot. In what could be the final Sevirife derby for a few years, given Estudiantes’ relegation seems all but confirmed, Las Fresas took a memorable 3-1 win that will bring their fans joy in what has been a disappointing year. Two wins in a row, however, has given some elements of their fanbase hope - is a great escape possible? They are currently 9 points from safety, so it would require more than a few miracles.

Chocolateria made headlines this week once again for all the wrong reasons. Real Club de Yates are certainly more acceptable opposition to lose to compared to Estudiantes, but it is now winless in 5 in all competitions for the league leaders. They just look nervous - this isn’t the Chocolateria we are used to, the side that won last year’s championship. They seemed afraid to pass the ball tonight, and the Yacht Club took full advantage. Despite some of their fans openly hoping for a loss - taking Jerez further away from the title - other supporters now feel that after 2 huge wins in back-to-back weeks, the Millonarios could make a charge of their own: they are just 6 points off Choco now. Two first half goals basically put this one to bed, and while Pascoal de Pena had his first goal in 3 games in the second half, it wasn’t enough to spark a comeback. Choco are melting down, and Mouricio Curiana had this to say: “This has been one of the toughest runs, the toughest schedules, that we have faced… we knew this would be where we would lose a point or two, so what is going to be key is maximizing the results of the last few games.” Fans of other teams mocked his comments: “Same old Choco, whining about the schedule,” said one, while Choco fans mostly agreed: “This is still in our hands.”

Matchday 30

Chocolateria 0–1 Atletico Sevirife
Sombra del Madrono 4–2 Estudiantes
Oudolid Juniors 4–1 Real Majadahonda
Union Heijendaal 1–0 Brienenoord
Jerez 3–3 Fernando II
Real Club de Yates 0–1 Zarzaquemada

If we told you in the preseason that Union Heijendaal would lead the league at some point this year, you might’ve laughed and said “Matchday 1 or 2?” If we told you it would be after 30? Yes, following a devastating loss for Chocolateria at home against Atletico Sevirife (we have said this too many times lately), their 6th game without a win in all competitions, Choco no longer hold the top spot. Choco looked dead tired and once again timid on the ball: really all Atletico needed to do to win this one was a little bit of pressing. Sombra del Madrono have Estudiantes almost confirmed down: from here on out, Estudiantes would need to win every match and hope for a few teams to lose every single game. Unfortunately for them, one of those teams looked on top form today: Oudolid Juniors with a masterclass 4-1 win over Real Majadahonda, in which Llorienzo Barela had two goals. Oudolid have picked exactly the right time to turn up their form. Jerez once again failed to capitalize on a Choco loss, however, they come closer this time: a 3-3 draw with Fernando II has them gaining a point on the top position. Really, though, the Rojos need to be glad Choco’s collapse is dominating the headlines right now, because Jerez have had one almost as bad in recent weeks and if they do not walk away with the title will have plenty of regrets about this season. Any title hopes the Yacht Club may have had after their two big wins in recent weeks, can probably be shelved now after a 1-0 loss to Zarzaquemada.

Union Heijendaal beating their neighbours and rivals Brienenoord to go top of the league is, without a doubt, the match of the week. “We don’t even discuss that in our room, we just focus on performing week in and week out,” said Antonio Madrid when asked how he felt about the possibility of going top with a win. Even the fans in the ground seemed not to believe it: today’s tifo read ‘Never Stop Dreaming,’ with a reference to a popular Ginense telenovela about an organized crime family that ended with the song of the same name. By the end of 90 minutes, Union fans were dreaming: The goal of Lluciano Diaz gives them the win, the 3 points, and puts them top of the league for the first time since? August 24, 1953. Nearly 100 years later, here they are again. So, let’s be honest: can Union actually do it? 4 games remain in the season, and they have most of their fixtures with the Big 4 out of the way. An IFCF spot seems assured, at least, which is massive for the club. But do they have the mettle to win the league? To host their biggest challengers, or visit them, on the final day and come away victorious? To avoid the curse that all other teams have been afflicted by this season - namely, the idea of ‘P1 is lava?’ If they can do it, they will etch their names as absolute legends of the Ginense game.

Matchday 31

Zarzaquemada 0–3 Chocolateria
Fernando II 1–3 Real Club de Yates
Brienenoord 1–1 Jerez
Real Majadahonda 3–0 Union Heijendaal
Estudiantes 5–1 Oudolid Juniors
Atletico Sevirife 2–1 Sombra del Madrono

Finally, Chocolateria win - and it’s enough to send them back to the top of the league. All of the frustration that has built up over the past weeks was let out in a 3-0 victory over Zarzaquemada, Xepe Simon scoring the two goals in the first half that were vital in the victory. Fernando II will be very thankful that it’s officially confirmed that Nocenci Caamar is back next week - because this is a real tragedy now, and they aren’t even officially safe from automatic relegation yet with only 3 games to play. Brienenoord had Gines Garcia score in the 90+5 to send their fans into rapture with a late draw against Jerez - a point against a Big 4 side will always be celebrated at the Faro, even if their fans will be feeling that more was deserved in this one. But on the other side: ok, Jerez, Choco seem to have snapped their streak - your turn. Estudiantes smashed Oudolid Juniors in a very surprising result, and they just won’t seem to die: there is still, technically, a limited chance for Las Fresas to stay up. We keep saying it will take miracles - they keep getting them. Atletico Sevirife, meanwhile, prevailed over Sombra del Madrono with the latest winning goal of the season so far - 90+8, after Santiago Rabadan converted a penalty awarded deep into stoppage time and it all kicked off from there. At 90+13 the final whistle finally blew, making this the longest match of the year so far.

Oh Union Heijendaal - we thought you would avoid the P1 curse after the brilliant performance last week, but instead it backslaps them across the face. A 3-0 defeat to Real Majadahonda, and they are back down to 3rd. The time atop of the league, for now, was short but sweet. Maja had little trouble dispatching Union at home, and the visitors looked, frankly, a bit out of their depth. A good learning experience, perhaps - but a devastating result for neutrals across the country. So - 3 games left, 9 points up for grabs. The current situation: Choco 56, Jerez 54, Heijendaal 53, Real Club 50, Maja 49. Technically, any of these sides could still win the league. Realistically, you’d have to imagine only the top 3 have a shot. Remember that on the last day, 1 will face 2 and 3 will host 4. So being within 3 points of your closest rival is all it could take to take all the glory. For the Yacht Club and Majadahonda, finishing in the top 4 is the big prize because that means a chance to participate in IFCF competitions next year - and earn the extra $$ that will come with that prize and TV revenue. The destination of the title is still very much up for grabs as we come down to the wire.

Matchday 32

Chocolateria 1–1 Sombra del Madrono
Oudolid Juniors 4–1 Atletico Sevirife
Union Heijendaal 3–0 Estudiantes
Jerez 2–4 Real Majadahonda
Real Club de Yates 6–1 Brienenoord
Zarzaquemada 5–4 Fernando II

…Choco, we thought you had figured this out! Instead, they slip up again, dropping points late against Sombra del Madrono, who were brilliant it must be said. But instead Choco have dropped points and are now one point only up on Union Heijendaal at the top of the league. Oudolid Juniors, meanwhile, confirmed that they will at worst compete in the relegation play-off after a brilliant 4-1 win over Sevi. Despite the loss, Sevi can be around 99.9% certain of their survival - it would take a major swing of goal difference to see them end up 11th now. Kudos to them for a great season when many predicted this was one that could end in disaster- instead they have gotten to watch their local rivals feel that agony. The pain was felt again as Estudiantes fell 3-0 to Union Heijendaal and confirmed their automatic relegation from the division. Goodbye, Estudiantes - while they still have 2 games left in this season, it is almost certain their biggest contribution will have been throwing the title race into further chaos with the 1-0 win over Chocolateria a few weeks ago. Once again, funnily enough, they play a role in the title fight: giving Union Heijendaal every chance to fight this battle until the final day. Real Club de Yates smash Brienenoord, the final being 6-1. This is a Brienenoord side that very clearly have both eyes on the Copa final in a few weeks, but still, this is a performance to be ashamed of and their away support made that very clear to the players. Zarzaquemada prevailed over Fernando II, coming back with 3 goals in the first half - but the good news for El Dos is that Nocenci Caamar had 2 goals in his return, giving them a bit of confidence heading into what is likely going to be a relegation playoff with Trece de Junio, who are on course to finish 2nd in Grupo II.

We’ve focused a lot on the disaster that was Chocolateria the last few weeks, and also Union Heijendaal’s collapse last week. But it’s only fair and proper to have a bit of a laugh at Jerez’s expense as well now. This is an absolutely embarrassing run of matches for the Rojos. They have had every chance to not only take the lead but to absolutely run away with this league title. In fact, a consistent performance for the last few weeks would probably see them virtually champions already. Instead, we have a side that has not won since their Clasico victory over Choco: 2 losses and 3 ties in the matches since then. That just simply is not good enough, and that is why instead of 6 or more points clear, they find themselves 3 points behind and the title out of their own hands. The loss to Real Majadahonda is a killing blow, one that is very hard to recover from: it is likely that now, at best, they could be the away team in the 1v2 playoff on matchday 34. Being the home side in the 3v4, and hoping for a draw between the top 2, might actually be better for them. Either way, however, they will need to stop these atrocious performances and start winning football matches. Manager Pau Navarro echoed that when he spoke in quite frustrated tones after the loss: “Look, it’s still possible. But God damn, have we made it hard for ourselves. The lads are not proud and frankly they shouldn’t be. We have 2 games to play, and we need 6 points - that is going to be our focus here and we aren’t going to let our fans down.” Is Navarro’s job at risk after such a performance? He still has a great deal of leeway from the two league titles in the past 3 years, as well as the CdlC victory early this season, so a sacking is unlikely. But this could shorten the leash significantly.

Matchday 33

Fernando II 3–1 Chocolateria
Brienenoord 0–1 Zarzaquemada
Real Majadahonda 1–0 Real Club de Yates
Estudiantes 3–5 Jerez
Atletico Sevirife 0–4 Union Heijendaal
Sombra del Madrono 0–1 Oudolid Juniors

Rather than a ‘match of the week’ focus here, we’re going to take you through these games in order of their importance - every match kicked off at Saturday 3pm anyways.

The title fight will go down to the final day with the potential for one of the greatest upsets in the history of Ginense football. You couldn’t have written a better script for Fernando II and Nocenci Caamar on the final day: after missing almost the entire season with an injury, torpedoing his teams’ chances of doing anything this year, Caamar and Fernando II figure it out and return just in time to stop Choco. Caamar had 2, and Choco drop to 2nd in the table. Union Heijendaal winning over Atletico Sevirife - pretty much a walkover, frankly, for El Union, whose fans stormed the pitch at the end of the game - means that they will host the final day 1v2 clash. When Heijendaal won the league last in 1941, there was no such thing - you simply played each team twice. Now, with just one more home win in this incredible, impossible season, they will be champions. Jerez were up 4-3 on Estudiantes after a free-flowing game, and realized late that with 2 more goals they could be ahead of Choco and be the ones trying to stop Heijendaal - they would get one more, courtesy of Santiago Suarez, who virtually guaranteed himself the Golden Boot today with 2 goals, but could not get two. So, the 1v2 on the final day comes down to Union Heijendaal hosting Chocolateria.

1v2 does not, however, guarantee that the trophy will be handed out at the Estadio Antonio Garcia. Real Majadahonda recorded a massive win over Real Club de Yates, putting them firmly in the drivers’ seat for IFCF football, that puts them into position #4. Maja will travel to face Jerez on the final day - if Choco and Heijendaal draw, that means Jerez could still win the title with a big enough win. The Yacht Club, meanwhile, could still take advantage: a Majadahonda loss to Jerez, and a Millonarios win, would see them qualify for IFCF football. Real Club de Yates will host Zarzaquemada, a team who cannot gain or fall from 6th position in the league. 7v8 will see Sombra del Madrono host Brienenoord. Sombra will want to secure their 7th position, a great result for the club, while Brienenoord won’t be too concerned with either position: either one is below expectations, and the only thing left that can save the season is a Copa win in a few weeks.

The matches at the bottom of the table still hold some jeopardy. It will all come down to either Fernando II or Atletico Sevirife for the relegation play-off spot against Trece de Junio. The clubs sit equal on goal difference (-22), and Sevi are ahead by 3 points. Sevirife will travel to Oudolid Juniors while Fernando II host Estudiantes. Any Sevi loss and El Dos win would see their spots flipped, while all Sevi need to guarantee safety is a draw.

A massive, potentially historic final day is on our hands - let’s take one last look at the league table, and then it will be baited breath until the final whistle blows.

 # Liga TeleGines         Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Union Heijendaal        33   17   8   8    58   30  +28    59
 2 Chocolateria            33   17   6  10    67   46  +21    57
 3 Jerez                   33   16   9   8    77   57  +20    57
 4 Real Majadahonda        33   15  10   8    60   46  +14    55
 5 Real Club de Yates      33   15   8  10    57   32  +25    53
 6 Zarzaquemada            33   12  12   9    63   56   +7    48
 7 Sombra del Madrono      33   11  11  11    42   47   −5    44
 8 Brienenoord             33   11   8  14    52   63  −11    41
 9 Oudolid Juniors         33    9  10  14    49   65  −16    37
10 Atletico Sevirife       33   10   5  18    49   71  −22    35
11 Fernando II             33    7  11  15    49   71  −22    32
12 Estudiantes             33    5   8  20    30   69  −39    23     Relegated

5 Players to Watch on the Final Day

5. Nocenci Caamar (CF, Fernando II): After being out all season with a bad leg injury, Caamar has returned with 4 goals in 2 games. A big performance against Estudiantes could pull Fernando II out of the play-off spot and into full-on safety.

4. Aleix de Andrade (CB, Union Heijendaal): A bit strange to pick a defender, yes, we know, but de Andrade could hold the key to this season’s title in his pocket. Heijendaal have been by far the best defensive team in the league this season with only 30 goals conceded in 33 games, and de Andrade has been at the forefront of that. The game of his life on Sunday, and another clean sheet, could make him a legend for all time at his club.

3. Santiago Suarez (RW, Jerez): The goalscoring leader this season has a difficult task on his hands Sunday, taking on another strong defensive side in Real Majadahonda. However, one can expect that Jerez will go all-out in attack, needing a major goal difference swing to have any chance of winning the title. Suarez will be key to this, and if Jerez do take home the 3rd title in 4 years on Sunday, this man is likely going to have a lot to do with it.

2. Pascoal de Pena (CF, Chocolateria): A true poacher, de Pena had a rough time during Choco’s late run of very poor form and that was a big reason why the club failed to win more games - and frankly aren’t champions already. Taking on the league’s sturdiest defence is going to be a major challenge, especially with a home crowd that will be like an extra wall behind them. For all of Heijendaal’s defensive prowess, however, they also have the least amount of goals of the top 4. If de Pena can make a mark on this game, it could be crucial in making the difference.

1. Antonio Madrid (LW, Union Heijendaal): The breakout star of this season without a doubt, Antonio Madrid has become a household name in San Gines from his performances this season. His chant (just his name, over and over) has been remixed and his celebration graffiti’d on walls across the country. It seems that wherever there is a Madrid goal, a Heijendaal win follows. Union’s strategy of allowing their opponents the bulk of the possession, but pressing hard and forcing errors, runs through him. It’s the storybook moment, isn’t it? Everyone else has left the stage - this is the climax. And next Sunday, we’ll find out if Antonio Madrid has what it takes to be not just a hero, but a legend.

[San Gines]

”Ring, ring, ring.”

You should’ve switched that alarm a long time ago, it’s so annoying early in the morning. But what does it matter? You didn’t sleep anyway.

8am, the clock on your phone reads. Your body wakes up, takes a shower, makes a classic Ginense breakfast of ‘bread & cheese,’ washed down by orange juice. But your mind isn’t fully aware of these things. ”Should Juan Perez start over Caballero?” “What if Antonio Madrid is sick today?” “Choco haven’t been their best lately, there’s a chance” “It would be the worst if we tied and then Jerez won by enough.”

A million scenarios about the match today, running through your head all morning. All night. All Saturday. And really, ever since the game 2 weeks ago, when you stood in the away end and shed a tear or two as Union Heijendaal beat Sevirife 4-0 to guarantee that they would have a shot at winning the title on their own pitch two Sundays later. Today.

Your mind snaps away from the constant thoughts for a moment - enough to pick your #29 Antonio Madrid kit out of the closet - the home turquoise version, of course. The kit that it seems every single person in the barrio has these days. You bought yours before the season, so you were ahead of the bandwagon - and this shirt has been worn to every game, home and away, this season.

Once that’s on, there’s one last accessory to pick out - your scarf. You weren’t so bold to purchase the ‘Champions’ scarf that all the fanshops have been selling the last few weeks - you pick the simple turquoise and white one given to you as a gift by your father many years, when he took you to your first game.

Because this club is in your blood. Your grandfather was a dockworker who moved his family to Heijendaal when the rent in Jerez simply became too high. Part of the union, he had a season ticket for years - he was in attendance 101 years ago the last time Union took home a trophy, in the 1941 Copa del Conde-Duque final. He’d tell the story with tears in his eyes at every family Christmas. Where your grandfather experienced glory, however, your father experienced only pain.

For the first 19 years of his life, he had never seen them play in the top division. Still he was loyal - on Black Saturday, when Brienenoord brought a full allocation of 600 fans to the away end of the Antonio Garcia, Heijendaal only had about 350 supporting them, and he was one of them. The pain was almost a point of pride - relegations laughed off as ‘it hasn’t stopped us before and it won’t now.’

You remember your first match, the sights and sounds of that stadium. The Antonio Garcia will never be called the best stadium in San Gines, but it’s home, damnit. And even if it feels like the stadium will collapse when all 6,000 bounce to ”Who doesn’t jump is for Choco” you still sing it as loud as you can. That game was years ago now - you barely remember if Union won, lost or tied, but you remember the songs you sang, the friends you made, the food you ate, the sip of his drink dad snuck you at halftime.

And when dad got sick a few years ago, the club was there for you too. A banner for him in the home end was a nice community touch, but watching the games together on TV was the best way for the both of you to deal with it. When he got better and you went back to the stadium again, you both shed tears of joy.

So when you arrive to the usual meeting spot outside of the stadium, and dad hugs you and puts the ticket in your hand, you get chils. You remember the relegations, the brutal losses, but also the promotions, and the absolute joy that this team, this season, has brought every Heijendaal supporter.

Anto! Nio! Antonio Madrid! Antonio! Antonio! An-to-nio Madrid!

The songs go on for a long while into the sunny summer afternoon. You aren’t brave enough to sing along to “Stand up for the champions” just yet, and as you file into your seats - just behind the north goal - you feel that your legs could buckle under you.

The players come out of the tunnel, and the show begins. Fireworks, smoke, flares like you’ve never seen before from the home end. The same from the Choco away section. The tifo is raised in front of you, so you miss most of the player introductions. Looking up at the old, tired video screen in the corner, you see it: it’s the Estadio Antonio Garcia, with the current time lined up on the field, with the 1911 championship-winning squad watching from above. You can name every member of that starting XI, even though your grandfather wasn’t even born yet. And that’s when the music kicks in. The club anthem. Your scarf goes up and 5,400 voices sing as one for Union Heijendaal.

And that’s when it kicks in. It doesn’t matter if they win or lose today. It doesn’t matter if they lose every game for the rest of time. This is your club, this is your love, and wherever they go you will follow. Just like your grandfather and father before, and like your children will one day too. With your scarf still high and your lungs full, the game is on.

”Goal! Goal for Union! Antonio Madrid makes it 1-0 17 minutes into the game, and everything is going the home side’s way so far!”

The celebration moment is one unlike any you can remember - you basically take a shower of alcohol, and you and dad end up 3 rows below where you were originally sitting. “Anto! Nio! Antonio Madrid!” the chant rings louder than ever. It’s really going to happen! It’s really going to -

”Chocolateria have scored! You could feel it coming after the way Heijendaal sat back after the opener, and just a few minutes before the halftime whistle, Pascoal de Pena has knocked it in to make the score 1-1.”

Fuck. It was offside, no? Where is the ref? They are stealing it from us to help the Big 4! You look at that old video board and realize that no, it wasn’t anywhere close to offside. At halftime, you check the Jerez score. 3-1 for Jerez over Majadahonda. Doing quick math in your head, you recognize that Jerez need about 6 more goals to take it if this game ends in a draw. That scenario goes out of your head, at least for now.

The second half is just a blur. Your heart is pounding at what a doctor would consider dangerous levels. Didn’t you come to terms with the loss, should it be a loss, already? Something about following everywhere they go, or losing every game for the rest of time. Sure, but doesn’t mean you wouldn’t give everything in your life for it to be a win.

You see the move before most do. Van der Gracht, with an open lane on his left, and the pass…

”MADRID! MADRID! ANTONIO MADRID, A GOAL FOR THE OCCASION! INTO THE BOTTOM CORNER! IT’S 2-1 FOR UNION HEIJENDAAL WITH 20 MINUTES REMAINING”

You remember the bouncing, the cups and liquids in the air, the screaming, but not much else of the moments after that. You see a tear in the corner of dad’s eye at one point. You’re fighting them back on your own.

When the clock hits 90, you’re ready to collapse. So when you see +4 on the board, it just adds to the stress. Choco have all of the ball now, and every time they cross the halfway line you can feel the groans of the home stand - even though a draw, at this point, would secure the title. You know that, but you aren't relaxed yet. Nobody wants to take any risk. A little bit of time wasting here and there, one dangerous shot from Choco, and seconds feel like hours.

When that old rusted video board shows 94:00, you close your eyes. You can’t bear to watch anymore. It seems like the whole stadium agrees, because there is a loud silence.

”Tweeeet, tweeeeet, tweeeeet”

When the referee blows that whistle, your eyes instantly open - here it is. The moment you refused to think about all year, until the last few weeks. “Champions, champions, champions” sings the stadium. Soon enough it seems all 5,400 of you are on the pitch, jumping around together, expecting that any moment now you’ll wake up in bed again this morning. The club is a community, and even if you don't know their names, you have 5,400 new best friends.

It doesn’t hit you when you see them lifting the trophy on the field.
It doesn’t hit you when you pour into the streets, full of those in the barrio who couldn’t attend the game, and celebrate until 3 in the morning.
It doesn’t hit you when you finally buy that “Champions” scarf.
It doesn’t hit you when dad hugs you goodnight at the metro stop and says “Talk later, champion.”

It hits you the next morning, when you look out the back window of your apartment. A group of kids, you would’ve been one of them once, playing football on the concrete pitch in the back garden. They re-enact the moment perfectly: the stand-in van der Gracht to the stand-in Madrid, to the bottom corner. They lift a water bottle as a stand-in for the championship trophy.

You smile, remembering when you did the same thing with your friends as a kid then. They were just dreams then. That’s the moment it hits you.

Because it’s real now. Union Heijendaal, national champions, for all eternity. The greatest underdog dream of Ginense football realized.

Matchday 34

Union Heijendaal 2–1 Chocolateria
Jerez 4–3 Real Majadahonda
Real Club de Yates 1–1 Zarzaquemada
Sombra del Madrono 1–3 Brienenoord
Oudolid Juniors 0–0 Atletico Sevirife
Fernando II 2–4 Estudiantes

 # Liga TeleGines         Pld   W   D   L    GF   GA   GD    Pts
 1 Union Heijendaal       34   18   8   8    60   31  +29    62     Champions
 2 Jerez                  34   17   9   8    81   60  +21    60     IFCF
 3 Chocolateria           34   17   6  11    68   48  +20    57     IFCF
 4 Real Majadahonda       34   15  10   9    63   50  +13    55     IFCF
 5 Real Club de Yates     34   15   9  10    58   33  +25    54
 6 Zarzaquemada           34   12  13   9    64   57   +7    49
 7 Sombra del Madrono     34   11  11  12    43   50   −7    44
 8 Brienenoord            34   12   8  14    55   64   −9    44
 9 Oudolid Juniors        34    9  11  14    49   65  −16    38
10 Atletico Sevirife      34   10   6  18    49   71  −22    36
11 Fernando II            34    7  11  16    51   75  −24    32     Playoff
12 Estudiantes            34    6   8  20    34   71  −37    26     Relegated

[San Gines]

Liga Ginense Season I - End of Season

Awards

Golden Ball (Best Player)
Antonio Madrid (Union Heijendaal)

Golden Boot (Top Goalscorer)
Santiago Suarez (Jerez, 24 goals)

Golden Shield (Best Defender)
Aleix de Andrade (Union Heijendaal)

U20 Player of the Year
Xepe Simon (Chocolateria)

Best XI
GK - Valentin Silveira (Union Heijendaal); LB - Onofre Cuervo (Jerez), CB - Aleix de Andrade (Union Heijendaal), CB - Xicu de Contreras (Chocolateria), RB - Salvador Lugrono (Real Club de Yates); CM - Didac Aumatell (Real Majadahonda), CM - Xines Campama (Chocolateria), CAM - Gines van der Gracht (Union Heijendaal), LW - Antonio Madrid (Union Heijendaal), RW - Santiago Suarez (Jerez), CF - Artur Aguilera (Jerez)

Grupo II

It was an interesting season in the Grupo II this year. Real Lugrono were certainly the biggest club in the division, and after a surprising relegation from the Liga TeleGines last year were the expected favourites for the championship. They would get the job done and were at the top of the league for most of the season, even if they faced challenges from several other clubs along the way. Fanal del Sur appeared to be the biggest challenge early in the season, but they would soon drop off.

At the halfway point, it was quite clear that Lugrono were in the race for promotion alongside Trece de Junio out of Oudolid, Tarralajara and Todos Santos. The later two clubs just could not seem to find the consistency required to challenge Real and Trece throughout the season, and eventually would fall behind. Both have exciting young squads, however, and with no big club expected to interfere with things next year with Estudiantes coming down, both of them will have an eye on getting promoted.

In the end, things came down to Real Lugrono and Trece de Junio. A home loss for Trece against Deportivo Mariposa made things much more difficult for them, and another loss on the penultimate matchday to La Victoria sealed their fate as the second place team in the league. Lugrono, meanwhile, beat Neptuno 1-0 at home on the final day to secure promotion. Lugrono are automatically up, while ironically enough, their derby rivals Fernando II will face Trece de Junio for the last spot in the Liga next year. In addition to this, Real Lugrono, Trece de Junio and Tarralajara will play as the Ginense representatives in the IFCF Liga B Champions Trophy.

Further down the order, Barrionuevo were a side who had an impressive season. With a magical cup run that saw them knocking out Jerez and losing just barely to Chocolateria, there is great hope for the future amongst fans of the orange-green side. They could be dark horse candidates for a promotion next season. At the very bottom, it was a difficult season for El Carmen who only won 6 of their 44 matches. Losing all of their derby matches with Neptuno and La Victoria added to the pain for them, and while there are only 2 (professional) tiers of football in San Gines, and thus no relegation, difficult seasons like this do have consequences going forward.

 # Grupo II               Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Real Lugrono            44   21  13  10    88   62  +26    76     Promoted
 2 Trece de Junio          44   21  10  13    54   41  +13    73     Playoff/IFCF
 3 Tarralajara             44   19  14  11    93   69  +24    71     IFCF
 4 Todos Santos            44   19   9  16    71   62   +9    66
 5 Barrionuevo             44   18  10  16    70   60  +10    64
 6 Deportivo Mariposa      44   16  14  14    60   57   +3    62
 7 Fanal del Sur           44   15  16  13    70   69   +1    61
 8 El Coronado             44   15  15  14    46   47   −1    60
 9 Neptuno                 44   15  12  17    62   71   −9    57
10 Dragones                44   12  13  19    58   75  −17    49
11 La Victoria             44   12  13  19    45   63  −18    49
12 El Carmen               44    6  11  27    46   87  −41    29

Playoff

Trece de Junio 0–2 Fernando II
Fernando II 1–1 Trece de Junio

Fernando II win 3-1 on aggregate

Fernando II were very much favourites to stay up and keep their place in the Liga for next season, and they did just that over two games against Trece de Junio. Despite a brilliant atmosphere from the cult club in Oudolid in the first fixture, Fernando II jumped out to a quick lead thanks to goals from Nocenci Caamar. In the second leg, things were comfortable after El Dos went up 1-0 halfway through the first half. Trece de Junio would get a goal back in the second half, and perhaps could’ve got another in the second half with more luck, but this one was always in Fernando II’s favour and after a disappointing end to a great start to the year they retain their spot in the Liga for next season.

Copa del Conde-Duque Final

Real Majadahonda 2-0 Brienenoord
(Aumatell 14’, Valdes 82’)

Estadio Jerez, San Gines

Real Majadahonda become the winningest side in the history of the Copa del Conde-Duque with a 2-0 victory over Brienenoord!

Both sides were quite excited for this one, with each team having a chance to make history and avenge some of the things that went wrong for them over the course of the season. For Brienenoord, it was a difficult campaign that saw them finish worse than expected in 8th, after a mid-season collapse that hasn’t really been explained. Real Majadahonda, meanwhile, had hoped to be outside title contenders but instead needed luck to finish 4th, getting into the IFCF places on the final day despite a loss to Jerez. This, then, was a good opportunity for both sides to set things right.

A late spring day, it was perfectly sunny and warm at the stadium as things kicked off just after 3pm. The Estadio Jerez was split half-half between the supporters, and so an atmosphere full of banners and fireworks welcomed the teams. After a brief intro and exchange of pennants, it was time to kick off.

At the end of the day, this was always going to be Maja’s match to lose, and they made the most of their chances early. Looking beautiful in royal purple kits special for this match and occasion, they danced around Brienenoord and kept most of the possession of the ball. The opening goal came in the 14th minute, when Didac Aumatell received the ball at the top of the box, made a quick dash to the left to open up his lane and fired a cannon of a shot past the keeper. It was a great effort from the midfielder and he rushed over to the corner to celebrate with the fans.

Brienenoord had been a bit shaky before the goal, but they pulled together after a pushed a challenge back towards Maja. The best opportunity of the first half for the lighthouse club came from a shot by Gines Garcia that was just tipped wide by Maja goalkeeper Benino Vallina. The supporters of both clubs were fully backing their teams throughout the half, and by the whistle it was a game very much up for grabs. That push continued in the second half, Brienenoord asking ‘how did we not score’ and Maja defending with all hands at points

Brienenoord’s push ended, however, when Majadahonda added their second of the game. A great counter attack from Real led to a corner which Francisco Valdes flicked in at the back post with a well-timed header. There were raucous celebrations in the stadium as Maja fans realized their club were just minutes away from history. Any energy left in Brienenoord’s legs was gone after that, and the final moments were just waiting for the inevitable.

Conde-Duque Llorenzo III and his son, Infante Carlos, were both on hand to present the trophy to the winners, who were more than happy to reveal shirts reading ‘21’ after they had received the Copa. 21, of course, being the number of Copas won by the Majadahonda outfit, 1 more than their biggest rivals Chocolateria. While Choco are still quite far ahead in terms of overall trophies, it is a nice piece of bragging rights for the club. Fans and players celebrated together after the match, with the Maja players immediately running the trophy over to their supporters’ section. The partying continued in the streets of Majadahonda most of the night, as this is a great moment in the history of Real Majadahonda.

In addition to being the winners of the Cup, Maja have secured qualification to 2 further international competitions for next year: the IFCF Cup Winners’ Cup, as well as the second place for the upcoming inaugural edition of the Arrosian club competition. This could be massive for Maja with international exposure and, of course, additional money to be made.

It’s a great night for the men in purple, and with that, the season of football in San Gines has ended. Plenty of storylines already for next season: the title race should be wide open. How will international competition affect the league? Can the Big 4 regroup and take back the top prize? The next chapter of this story is soon to be written.

IFCF and International Competition

San Gines (SGN) qualifiers
IFCF Champions League: Union Heijendaal
IFCF Challengers Cup: Jerez, Chocolateria, Real Majadahonda
IFCF Liga B Champions’ Trophy: Real Lugrono, Trece de Junio, Tarralajara
IFCF Cup Winners’ Cup: Real Majadahonda

Arrosia Competition (Name TBC): Union Heijendaal, Real Majadahonda

[San Gines]

Patada!

The Most Reliable Football News in San Gines

Ginense Clubs Agree to Various Rules Surrounding International Transfers

Following a meeting of the Liga Ginense clubs with the league leadership and representatives of the San Gines Football Federation (SGFF), an agreement has been reached that will have various consequences for the teams going forward. The deal comes after several days of meetings between the club bosses to attempt to come to an agreement, and reflects much of the politics surrounding the Ginense game. “We want to do everything in steps, to ensure that Ginense football and Ginense players are protected,” said an unnamed source from one of the clubs. Here at Patada we have gone through the trouble to present you with the listing of the 3 biggest changes:

#1 - Foreign Player Limits

The clubs have agreed on a limit of 3 foreign players per team. This was without a doubt the most hotly-contested point of debate.

The Big 4 clubs, namely, were hoping to make this restriction as light as possible. The rumour was that Real Club de Yates had originally proposed no restrictions whatsoever, and that at times numbers such as 5 and 7 were also on the table. However, many of the smaller clubs in the league were unwilling to support any number greater than 3. They feared that, since the Big 4 clubs already are much wealthier, that the influx of foreign players and near-limitless ability to add players to their squad would imbalance the league permanently. The smaller teams had been willing to accept some level of foreign players, since clubs such as Union Heijendaal for example will be hoping to add some reinforcements to take advantage of last season’s title.

The true power brokers in this deal, then, were the 3 Bridesmaids - Fernando II, Brienenoord and Zarzaquemada. It is understood that these clubs had presented a “3+2” approach - 5 foreign players, of which at least 2 needed to be from Arrosia. There was also the “3+1” approach, where at least 1 player needed to be U21. Both of these proposals were, in the end, rejected. The discussions here came down to the wire, but in order to gain a compromise on other key parts of the negotiations, the 3 clubs decided to come down on the side of the smaller clubs. A 3 player limit it is.

The big losers of this agreement, perhaps not now but in the future, are certainly the Big 4. One could imagine that Real Club de Yates were hoping to fill their squad with foreign mercenaries with all of the cash they have laying around - and clubs like Sombra del Madrono and Atletico Sevirife simply cannot compete with that. The current limit of 3 will enable foreign players to come into the league without fully imbalancing it. The winners, then, are the 3 Bridesmaids and the smaller clubs.

#2 - Separation of Domestic/International Transfer Lists

One of the biggest issues historically in Ginense football is that the 3 Bridesmaids and the smaller clubs have been forced to sell their top players to the Big 4 - because there are simply no other buyers. This enabled the Big 4 to secure their dominance and cripple competitors at the same time. One only needs to look at the Llorenzo van Bloemendaal saga last summer - the Brienenoord youth product poached by Chocolateria - to see the effect that this can have.

With the advent of international participation, many of the smaller clubs sensed a hope that this would no longer be the case - the best players can now be sold out internationally instead. Of course, however, the Big 4 wants to also secure what they can at home - and so a new rule has been agreed upon as a sort of compromise between the clubs.

Big 4 clubs proposed that Ginense clubs should have a first option to buy on all Ginense nationals. This was laughed out of the room, apparently, and after days of discussion, the final agreement comes down to this:

Ginense clubs hoping to list players for transfer will submit that player to the SGFF, where an independent commission will judge the player’s value, worth to his team, and his potential. This will be based on various factors such as his participation (now or expected) in Ginense national squads, his achievements in Ginense football, and other factors. Following this, the SGFF will add him to either the ‘Domestic’ or ‘International’ transfer list. The International list will go onto the global database used by all clubs in world football to make transfer decisions, while the Domestic list will remain for Ginense clubs only. Ginense clubs may still bid on players listed internationally, but the club or player has no obligation to accept those offers.

In the end, this compromise was acceptable to all teams for a variety of reasons. The smaller clubs can now hope to sell their best players internationally and receive a fairer sum for them than they would if forced to sell to other Liga sides. The 3 Bridesmaids can still fill their role in the ecosystem - taking ‘good but not finished’ players from lower-level sides, refining them into top talents, and selling them onwards. With the option to sell abroad, clubs like Zarzaquemada and Brienenoord in particular could make a lot of money in this way. For the Big 4, they still have a chance to buy any Ginense player, and any player they would sell is likely to make it on the International list - the only effect is they now need to compete with foreign clubs for the top players from other Ginense clubs. Expect to see the Big 4 doing a lot more ‘sell to buy’ in the future.

Other points of note were that this rule does not apply to foreign players who may eventually come into the league - when they are transfer listed it will automatically go to the International list. At the same time, should a foreign club bid for a Ginense player not listed, even if the bid is rejected they will permanently be considered for the International list.

At the same time, it is unknown how much interest there will be in many Ginense players on the international transfer list at the moment - it is a new league, and the country will not participate in the upcoming World Cup 95, the SGFF preferring to wait it out for World Cup 96. For this window, at least, the Big 4 could get some strong players at cut-rate deals if there is less interest in players listed internationally.

The deal itself was a bit controversial. There was a deadlock between the clubs for days, before the 3 Bridesmaids met with representatives of the smaller clubs to come together and ask the SGFF to step in. The Big 4 were originally not satisfied with the proposal, but in the end voted for the agreement in order to keep the SGFF happy. They also perhaps sensed that the 3 Bridesmaids were going to side against them on this one and feared getting a worse deal.

#3 - Standardization of Transfer Window with International Leagues

This was the easiest of the agreements to be reached - a 12-0 unanimous vote. Both the Domestic and International transfer windows will now be standardized to take place at the same time as the general worldwide standard. This will take effect, however, only following next season - thus, for the 42nd global transfer window, the Ginense window will end 1 week earlier than anywhere else in the world*. Going forward, however, things will be done in sync.

What Died on the Vine?

Just as interesting as what was agreed is what wasn’t agreed in these meetings. The most controversial topic is certainly the proposal by smaller clubs to limit the 3 foreign signings to players already over the age of 21. On this matter, the 3 Bridesmaids and Big 4 stuck together to vote down the deal. Those 7 clubs are famous for their youth academies and production and see the opportunity to buy young players and develop them as their best path to success at the moment - while the smaller clubs know they would not be able to compete on that front. That one was, however, voted down.

A rule proposing that the 3 player limit be locked in for 5 years was also voted down - clubs in the end agreed to revisit all of these agreements yearly, suggesting that there is room to change and grow as the league does so as well.

Lots of discussion about commercial rights - future TV and streaming deals worldwide have become a topic of conversation. There was a proposal that clubs should bargain together, instead of offering, for example ‘Chocolateria TV,’ Choco’s online streaming service available anywhere in the world. The Big 4 clubs suggested that there is not enough foreign interest in the league just yet to seriously consider this topic, and if that should change in the near future they would be happy to reopen the discussion. So when the Big 4 clubs suggested a few moments later opening up to foreign sponsorship, the smaller clubs retorted with the exact same line and both items will be quiet for now.

What’s Coming?

With the season complete, we are fully into transfer window mode now, and it is understood the Internationals list created by the SGFF is already available and will be made public shortly. Ginense clubs will also be scouring for signings to make of their own, and we will soon find out who the clubs will face in the preliminary rounds of IFCF and regional competitions.

There is also surely to be more news coming this summer, so stay tuned to Patada! for the latest football news from San Gines!

[San Gines]

Zombis.sg

The Online Home of Union Heijendaal Fans!

The 5 Best Memories of the IFCF Campaign

5 - Berrymore Dominates Drumchapel

Dean Berrymore’s arrival to Heijendaal was one that was eagerly awaited by all fans of the Union. A fee of 1 million pesos, and one of the first foreign contingent to arrive in the Liga Ginense - the Tikariot international surely had a great deal of pressure on his shoulders as the club’s all-time record signing. After the incredible fairytale season last year that saw a first-ever league title for the Union, Berrymore was brought in as part of a campaign to extend the dream as long as possible.

In his first official match for the club, he more than delivered on that expectation. When Union drew Drumchapel United from Glazgo for the first round of the IFCF Champions’ League, many fans wondered just how the club would stack up on the international stage. The atmosphere at the Antonio Garcia that night was incredible - the flags and flares that lit up the evening skies on a warm summer evening is an image that most diehard Heijendaal fans will never forget. But there was also a quiet nervous energy in the air - just what exactly are we in for?

3 minutes into the match, Dean Berrymore turned that nervous energy into an eruption of ecstasy. A well-timed cross by Antonio Madrid found the big, physical man’s head and it was knocked in. 1-0 for Union. 15 minutes later, Berrymore outmuscled the Drumchapel defender to win the ball off a corner, before turning and firing a hard shot past the keeper to make it 2-0. In the later stages, with the visitors from Glazgo surging ahead to try to grab something from the tie, Berrymore scored again off a great solo effort to finish a dominant performance for himself and the team. 3-0 the final, and a 1-1 draw in Drumchapel the next week saw Union Heijendaal move on.

The match ball on his debut - and a win on the club’s Champions’ League debut. What could be better than that??

4 - The Antonio Garcia in Full Voice for Round of 32 Victory

Advancing to the Round of 32 alone was a massive surprise for all Heijendaal fans - being drawn against a team from Flavovespia, a nation with a much longer IFCF history than our own, was a major challenge for us to face. And just after the draw, the doomsayers - especially in the media, because we know they are all Chocolateria fans and no other club would be capable of winning if Choco could not - were in full voice.

When the first leg began, you knew it was going to be yet another beautiful international evening and atmosphere at the Estadio Antonio Garcia - with all 8000 seats taken. Just as the players entered the pitch, the lights all went down - replaced by hundreds of blue flares and fireworks that lit up the evening sky over San Gines. If you were there that night, you will never forget the beating of your heart as everyone sang the club anthem all together in preparation for a beautiful evening.

Not just the atmosphere, but the events on the pitch were perfect too - a goal from Antonio Madrid gave us the early lead, before the visitors tied it. 2 from Dean Berrymore, however, with a late insurance tap-in from Gines van der Gracht, gave the Union a 4-1 win that they would follow up with a 2-1 win on the road to secure our advancement to the Round of 16. A truly memorable night in the history of the club.

3 - Proving We Belong

Even after the big win against Drumchapel, many fans in the country were still unsure of what we could really do - fans of the Big 4 sides complained ‘it won’t look good for our league when Heijendaal go down early,’ to which we of course answered ‘yes, but we beat you all to claim that spot.’ After the win over Drumchapel, next up on the draw was FC Angalien-Hullenberg of Koronavia. While not much was known about the strengths of the sides compared to each other, there was a great hope after the excellent showing in the previous round.

That hope was rewarded with a dominating performance at home that showed Union Heijendaal truly belonged on the international stage. Gines van der Gracht got things started with a free kick goal, but it was our super Antonio Madrid who was the star - dominating the left side of the pitch, he ended up with 2 goals and an assist for Dean Berrymore, who claimed his 4th goal of the competition so far. 4-0 was the final, all but guaranteeing passage to the next round. In the away fixture that followed, it was a 1-0 win. Any questions about new goalkeeper Lleo Baldrich were answered as he stopped a penalty in the away leg, and it was Lluciano Diaz with the winning goal.

5-0 on aggregate, and any remaining doubters had to be quiet. El Union had won 2 rounds in the Champions’ League, and although they ended up going down in the next round, it was a performance to be very, very proud of.

2 - Away Day on a Massive Stage

Mar Sara FC - the name brought fear into the hearts of every Heijendaal fan when we drew them in the Associations Trophy quarterfinal. The 3rd placed finishers in the Vanorian Premiership, the Flames have a stadium that is 9 times bigger than the Antonio Garcia and a long history in one of the top leagues in the world. It was a mismatch of clubs, and everyone was bracing for the worst when the Flames arrived in Heijendaal.

Instead, we got a brave performance - a 3-2 loss at home, in which Union fans will speak for years about how if Gines van der Gracht hadn’t missed an early opportunity, Union could’ve gone on to tie or even win the game. Following the loss, however, there was a real optimism about the second leg - and knowing the team would need all the support it could get, many loyal fans in the south stand organized together. Valanora was the closest nation out of any clubs Heijendaal had played so far, and the team would need all the support it could get in the second away leg. And so, nearly 4000 fans - almost half the entire capacity of the Antonio Garcia - organized together and made the trip to Mar Sara.

Of course, away days are common in Ginense football as most clubs are just a few metro stops apart from each other. International away days had not been common for any club through the first season of IFCF competition - we Heijendaal supporters can proudly say we were the first to travel in numbers to support our club. And it was quite a beautiful site - flags and banners flew from the away end all night, and they were applauded by the Ginense commentary team for being as loud as they could be compared to the home team’s supporters. It was not a fairytale evening in the end - a 2-1 loss saw Heijendaal knocked out of the competition - but a match that will be remembered for a long time to come.

1 - Victory in Cassadaigua

By the time the Union had reached the Associations Trophy Round of 16, everybody around the neighbourhood knew we were living very much on borrowed time. To make it this far is arguably the second-biggest achievement in club history, and even if the Round of 16 had resulted in a 10-0 loss, it would’ve been wildly celebrated by all Union fans. Drawing Starksville Coastal, from Cassadaigua, was a clear moment where everyone thought the fairytale would end. The 2-2 draw at home, too - of course, Starksville would pull away at home.

Thousands of fans gathered in the centre of Heijendaal, filling up various pubs and bars, to watch the match. It remained 0-0 for a long time, before finally Berrymore broke through 1-0 to the good. Is it really happening? Madrid, 2-0. At halftime, the visitors were ahead in the match and tie, and wrapped up a bow on things just moments into the second half with Berrymore’s second of the day, as he took his total international tally for the season to 12 - the most of anyone at the club. They had not only done it, but in style, a way to remember forever.

If you were present on the Calle Heijendaal that night, you won’t soon forget it - if you can remember in the first place! The streets were full until 4am, with cheering and celebrating going on all night. The next morning, those who could still walk made it over to Oudolid to the airport to welcome home the squad after such an incredible victory. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience.

It has been 2 years of some of the craziest memories for all Heijendaal fans - I personally feel as if I am in a dream! And thanks to having secured 4th place in the league, there will be more international evenings coming up next season - more memories to create.

[San Gines]

Liga Ginense Season II - Season Review

SuperCopa San Gines
Union Heijendaal 2–2 Real Majadahonda (2–2 AET) (3–4 pen.)

#  Liga Ginense          Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
 1 Brienenoord            34   23   9   2    90   40  +50    78     Champions
 2 Chocolateria           34   19   7   8    82   44  +38    64     IFCF
 3 Real Club de Yates     34   19   7   8    53   36  +17    64
 4 Union Heijendaal       34   14   9  11    56   57   −1    51
 5 Jerez                  34   13   9  12    65   59   +6    48
 6 Fernando II            34   14   6  14    64   59   +5    48
 7 Real Majadahonda       34   13   8  13    58   64   −6    47
 8 Sombra del Madrono     34   10  10  14    44   49   −5    40
 9 Zarzaquemada           34   10   8  16    55   56   −1    38
10 Real Lugrono           34   10   6  18    51   73  −22    36
11 Oudolid Juniors        34    9   8  17    45   68  −23    35     Playoff
12 Atletico Sevirife      34    3   7  24    45  103  −58    16     Relegated

Golden Ball (Best Player): Gines Garcia (Brienenoord)
Golden Boot (Top Scorer): Gines Garcia (Brienenoord, 28 goals)
Golden Shield (Best Defender): Giorgio Stafilidi (Real Club de Yates, JUE)
U20 Player of the Year: Alexander Szôlösi (Real Majadahonda, PAS)

#  Grupo II               Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
 1 Tarralajara             44   21  12  11    86   57  +29    75     Promoted
 2 Estudiantes             44   22   6  16    82   62  +20    72     IFCF/Playoff
 3 Todos Santos            44   18  14  12    70   63   +7    68     IFCF
 4 El Coronado             44   18  12  14    44   34  +10    66
 5 Barrionuevo             44   16  15  13    68   57  +11    63
 6 Trece de Junio          44   16  14  14    65   58   +7    62
 7 Deportivo Mariposa      44   16  12  16    57   55   +2    60
 8 Dragones                44   17   8  19    59   61   −2    59
 9 La Victoria             44   15  11  18    48   60  −12    56
10 Neptuno                 44   14   8  22    54   76  −22    50
11 El Carmen               44   14   8  22    63   96  −33    50
12 Fanal del Sur           44   12  10  22    63   80  −17    46

Promotion Playoff
Estudiantes 1–0 Oudolid Juniors
Oudolid Juniors 4–0 Estudiantes

Oudolid Juniors remain in Liga Ginense after 4-1 aggregate win

Copa del Conde-Duque

Round 1

Deportivo Mariposa 1–0 Neptuno
Barrionuevo 1–0 El Coronado
La Victoria 1–0 Fanal del Sur
El Carmen 2–1 Dragones

Round 2

Tarralajara 1–0 Estudiantes
Trece de Junio 3–2 La Victoria
Deportivo Mariposa 0–1 Todos Santos
Barrionuevo 0–2 El Carmen

Round 3

Brienenoord 4–1 Trece de Junio
Todos Santos 1–2 Fernando II
Real Majadahonda 2–2 Tarralajara (2–2 AET) (4–5 pen.)
Atletico Sevirife 0–1 Real Club de Yates
Zarzaquemada 1–0 Union Heijendaal
Chocolateria 4–3 Jerez
Sombra del Madrono 1–2 El Carmen
Real Lugrono 3–0 Oudolid Juniors

Quarterfinal

Fernando II 3–2 El Carmen
Real Lugrono 0–1 Chocolateria
Tarralajara 1–0 Real Club de Yates
Brienenoord 3–2 Zarzaquemada

Semifinal

Tarralajara 3–3 Fernando II
Fernando II 5–3 Tarralajara

Fernando II win 8-6 agg.

Brienenoord 3–1 Chocolateria
Chocolateria 3–0 Brienenoord

Chocolateria win 4-3 agg.


Final

Fernando II 2–2 Chocolateria (2–3 AET)

IFCF and International Competition

San Gines (SGN) qualifiers
IFCF Champions League: Brienenoord
IFCF Challengers Cup: Chocolateria, Real Club de Yates, Union Heijendaal
IFCF Liga B Champions’ Trophy: Tarralajara, Estudiantes, Todos Santos
IFCF Cup Winners’ Cup: Chocolateria

Arrosia Hui La/Sun League: Brienenoord, Chocolateria

[San Gines]

BriBlog.sg

All Brienenoord, All the Time

The Title: 5 Key Moments

Brienenoord, Brienenoord, what will you do today? Quite often - just as in the song - the answer was: winning! But the season had more than just great moments - there were the strange ones, such as our very own insider BrienenoordTransferMarket feuding with manager Cristobo Vinas, the heartwarming ones, like Gines Garcia’s girlfriend becoming a celebrity amongst the supporterts, and those typical Briennoord moments, like when fans on this very website called for Vinas to be fired after losing in the Copa semifinals… you know, despite winning the league by 14 points. Our Brienenoord marched to the title this year and we were alongside for the whole journey - let’s highlight some of the most interesting!

5 - Rogelio vs Cristobo

Before the season even began, we had some drama. Rogelio, better known by his online alias BriennoordTransferMarket, is a controversial figure - usually when he posts rumours, half of the comments say ‘it’s Rogelio, never trust it’ and half of them take his word as gold. His passion for the club sometimes means an inability to accept defeat, such as when he made his online accounts private famously after the poor stretch at the beginning of last season.

This year, with the international transfer market opened for the first time, Rogelio was all over the rumour mill. While he had many calls correct - including being the only person to have ever heard of Tobias Ebenbacher, who turned out to have an incredible debut season - he also had quite a few wrong. Such as when he posted an article naming 6 players Brienenoord were supposed to have offered up to foreign clubs. Within hours, it was a top story and media was asking the club for comment. At his press conference the next day, manager Cristobo Vinas took shots at Rogelio:

“It’s not true, and I’ve now had to reassure several of my players that they are very much wanted here. It’s impossible to imagine that someone with a real heart for Brienenoord could create such a rumour… in fact, I would almost say that they are anti-Brienenoord.”

Rogelio didn’t publicly respond to this other than posting a picture of him celebrating a Brienenoord goal from the away end at Chocolateria, seemingly demonstrating his passion for the club. Within days, however, the article was deleted and in the end only 1 player was out the door.

4 - Garcia’s On Fire

This season will always be remembered as the season Gines Garcia broke out and claimed the title of best Ginense forward - and on matchday 6 against Chocolateria, he proved exactly why. In the opening matches of the season, Garcia had scored 4 goals in 5 games, including the late winner against Heijendaal. The only match, in fact, he had failed to score in was the 0-0 draw with Jerez. Going into the home contest with Chocolateria, then, he had a chance to prove his stock to the country.

He did that and much more. Just 9 minutes into the game he made a brilliant move to get past the Choco defenders and in alone with the keeper - a brilliant chip sailed into the back of the net and the 25,000 in the Faro rose to celebrate the goal. 1-0 over our hated rivals - and Garcia wasn’t done yet. 3 minutes later, he would win a penalty after a great action and converted it into the bottom left corner, and he would complete the hat-trick in the first half with a rocket of a shot from the top of the box into the top right corner. After 30 minutes it stood 3-0, and that was perhaps the day that many truly started to believe that we could do it.

We sang Garcia’s song pretty much the rest of the way, and he led the post-match festivities with the fans as well. Just 21 years old, there has always been pressure on the academy forward to be the latest big name to come out of our youth system. In his first full season last year, he proved the talent was there and just needed a bit more polishing. With early performances like this one, all Brienenoord fans could see that he had polished in spades.

3 -10-1

Gol de Brienenoord
Gol de Brienenoord
Gol de Brienenoord

You get the picture. Those following along on teletext who couldn’t be at the stadium flooded our forum with questions - is there a glitch? What’s going on guys? Nope - it was just a once-in-a-lifetime day in Sevirife.

It was always expected to be a win - Sevi collapsing and having the worst season in their recent history, and Brienenoord with an excellent start to the season - particularly due to the excellent style of play that saw them concede only 5 goals through the first 10 games of the season, while scoring 22. Brienenoord played a high-tempo game focused on holding onto the ball and creating high-quality shots, and the high-octane offensive output became the story of the season - 90 goals by the end, 28 of them coming from Gines Garcia. You sensed that the boys in red and white could score at any moment of any match.

And against Atletico Sevirife, on a warm fall afternoon, they almost did! Garcia and winger Anaya Novoa combined to make it 2-0 in the first 10 minutes, and basically seal the game already - the 1200 Brienenoord fans in the away end, and many more mixed among the home fans, were in full voice singing the song of the season from that point on. What was strange about what happened next was that it didn’t feel like the kind of game that could get so out of hand - Sevirife didn’t just roll over and die, they had their own bright moments as well.

But almost every shot the Brienenoorders took, found its way into the net. A weak effort from the top of the box by Antonio del Valle was probably the most egregious of the ones that beat Xavier Bescos, and Garcia’s second alongside another from Josep Alvarez made it 5-0 at the halftime whistle.

It was actually Sevirife who scored first in the second half, a great counter-attacking move to make it 5-1, and you thought that from here on out both sides would just take it easy. That was not what happened. Garcia made it a hat-trick a few minutes later, then del Valle again. Then Feliz Marcos, and by 8-1, you were wondering just how bad this could get. 9-1 came from Garcia’s fourth, and by now the Brienenoord fans were chanting for the 10.

Only 1 minute of stoppage time was added on, but that proved to be enough: a cross into the box won by Garcia, but he couldn’t quite get a clean shot away. Instead, it was a tap over to Marti Cisquell speeding into the box, and he poked it past Bescos. 10-1.

An embarrassing day for Sevirife, another stop on the road to the championship for Brienenoord. Some fans held up scarves at the very next match with the teletext summary of the game on it - the goalscorers taking up both sides of the scarf. It’s one of those games that wasn’t pivotal in the title race, but you’ll remember it randomly 3 years from now and think back fondly.

2 - 28 Unbeaten

By matchday 28, everybody knew already that the title was in our hands - come on, a 17 point lead? Not even we could throw that away. Becoming equally as important, however, was the unbeaten number - El Bri hadn’t lost since the beginning of the season, including some real late comebacks to save a draw or win, and every match that counter went up. At 17, it beat the club’s previous record, and at 25, it settled into the third-longest streak of all time. It was another number to feel good about - that this Brienenoord were one of the best Ginense sides of the modern era.

Heading into game #28 against Chocolateria, there were some question marks - it was the 3rd time the sides had played in as many weeks, as Brienenoord had just lost in the Copa semi-finals to the Majadahonda outfit. There was plenty of media talk that Choco would have extra motivation to defeat Brienenoord, as it was Chocolateria who held the all-time number - also 28. Therefore, a win for Brienenoord or a tie would equal that record.

Choco did, in fact, come out swinging - Xepe Simon dominated in the first half, and the traitor Llorenzo van Bloemendaal set him up nicely for the opening goal of the game that saw the away supporters taunting us for quite a while. But just like the entire season, our boys never gave up - Gines Garcia had the equalizer in the 73rd minute, and now it was our turn to taunt. It was all Brienenoord in the final 20 minutes, and when the referee’s whistle blew, it was 1-1. Equal on the pitch, and equal in the record books. The Lighthouse club had equaled ‘El Glorioso.’

Of course, the opportunity to take the record for ourselves was lost the very next week, against Real Majadahonda. However, 28 games in a row without a loss is a record to be very proud of and one that every player in red-white can hold as an incredible achievement in the club’s history.

1 - Title and Celebrations

Matchday 30, Brienenoord v Oudolid Juniors. It wasn’t quite a game you would circle on your calendar before the season began - not a historic rival, and Oudolid expected to have a bit of a down season as well. But when it became clear just what this day could become - a Brienenoord title, for the first time in 15 years. Tickets were highly sought after, and the downtown of the neighbourhood was one full of energy on matchday.

A win, or even a tie as long as Chocolateria did not beat Union Heijendaal, would be enough for the championship. Before the match, the brilliant tifo displaying some of the great moments in the district’s history was unfurled, as well as red smoke that filled the air. By the time you could see again, everyone’s scarves were in the air and ‘Brienenoord, Brienenoord, what will you do today?’ was the only sound you could hear. We were nervous - and the players were too. Gines Garcia scored as he did so many times this year to make it 1-0, but Oudolid had an equalizer through Valiente Sanchez just before the half. 1-1.

Meanwhile, our ‘friendly’ neighbours in Heijendaal decided to roll over for Chocolateria: it was 4-1 for Choco at the half, and it seemed highly likely the title moment would have to wait another week. As the time ticked closer towards the 90, it seemed sure to be the case: oh well, we’ll have 4 more chances after this one. Not like we’ll bottle a 14 point lead, anyway.

And then. Every Brienenoord fan knows it by heart: the corner came in, an outswing that hit the head of Tobias Ebenbacher first. From his head, to the chest of an Oudolid player, to the ground, to the boot of Feliz Marcos sticking in. The lose ball fell perfectly for… Antonio del Valle. 2-1. Brienenoord led and the Faro erupted in celebration.

Then, minutes later - the final whistle. Brienenoord were champions! It had been quite a long wait for this one, and you could see it in the celebrations - when the trophy was lifted it was 10:50pm, and it was not for a few hours that the place had emptied out, as the players brought the trophy around every corner of the ground. Then, the party spilled out into the streets, making it all the way into the next day.

Those who went to bed early - or perhaps those who simply didn’t sleep - got to meet the squad the next morning at the Faro del Brienenoord, the famous symbol of the district just across the street from the stadium and the site of all of the club’s triumphant celebrations. Thousands joined the players there for a day of jubilation.

A championship season is one to always remember - and no Brienenoord fan could ever forget these special moments this season. Here’s hoping that next season our heroes can manage more of the same magical memories!