The club from Galicia Sat fourth in his group in the third level in February 2023, but now to occupy fourth location in Segunda and have the possibility to reach Spain top flight for the first time.
Racing de Ferrol hopes to make history in the second half of the 2023/24 season. The club from the Galician city of Ferrol, with a population of just 65,000, is currently fourth in Segunda and chasing what would be the first appearance in the top tier of Spanish football.
It is not the only reason why a promotion would be historic for The Green Devils – The Green Devils. It would be a back-to-back promotion if Racing Ferrol can finish in the top two positions or advance in the playoffs, as the Galician team just came out of the third tier. This time last year, in February 2023, they finished fourth in their group, before a superb end to the campaign, with five wins and two draws from their last seven games, meant they finished first and won a ticket for Segunda.
It was a dramatic promotion and was secured in a Galician derby on May 27, 2023, when the club's cozy home, A Malata, was packed for the visit of RC Celta's B team. Ferrol Racing I knew a win would give them their first season in the second tier since 2007/08, and they did the job. A brace from striker Jardi earned a 2-0 win and one of the most euphoric nights in the recent history of this 104-year-old club.
But, more glory nights could be just around the corner. Racing have landed in Segunda with momentum and, after making a good start going unbeaten in their first five games, have steadily collected points and have been in the top six since mid-November.
Back-to-back promotions are, of course, rare, but there are two recent precedents for Racing de Ferrol to inspire. In Spain, it happened twice in the last decade, as Eibar achieved the feat in 2014 and Mallorca did it in 2019. Five years later, Racing Ferrol could be the last team to achieve a miraculous ascent to the top .
The keys to the success of Racing de Ferrol: Coaching, ownership and a passionate fanbase
Whenever a sports success story like this emerges, there are usually several factors that contribute to it. This is also the case here, although coach Cristobal Parralo deserves a lot of credit for the team's rise.
Signed in February 2021, he brings a wealth of experience to the A Malata dugout, having played for clubs such as Barcelona, Espanyol and Paris Saint-Germain during his own career as a right-back, after having represented the Spanish national team and having played for several clubs in Spain, including Deportivo de La Coruna. This is a man who had played alongside Ronaldinho, was coached by Johan Cruyff and managed talents such as Angel di Maria, Pablo Aimar and Fede Valverde before arriving in Ferrol.
When he arrived, Cristobal was able to organize the team and install a winning mentality. But, he also benefited from some smart scouting. In recent years, there have been many changes in the offices of the club, especially with the arrival of Ignacio Rivera and Grupo Elite as the new owners in 2017. The Galician businessman, who is known for the direction of the company that produces the beer Estrella Galicia. reviewed various departments and, perhaps the most important, brought the sporting director Carlos Mouriz at the institution.
After the promotion in the summer of 2023, Mouriz was promoted to become general manager and spoke to the League about the great ambitions of the club, saying “We are a club with more than a hundred years of uninterrupted history and this is a legacy we have. always keep in mind. We want to position ourselves as a modern and competitive company, which is very much identified with Ferrolterra and which has been able to adapt to the new times without giving up its essence.
At the same time, those responsible for the club understand that Racing Ferrol must maintain its identity and connection with the fanbase. Ferrol is a city that has suffered a lot from unemployment, making the football club an increasingly important part of the community. The fans have always been behind the team, and that only makes this recent success even sweeter.
As Mouriz added: “For us, it is essential to maintain and fan the flame that the love for the team has awakened in this city and region. While the promotion has been the definitive impulse, it is clear that a tide of support for the Racing Club Ferrol was formed independently of the sporting success. The Racing Club Ferrol transcends sport. The Racing Club Ferrol must be the project of all the citizens of Ferrol.
This project is certainly a success so far and, although promotion remains a distant objective, just consolidating its place in Segunda is a step in the right direction for this newly promoted team.
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