Spanish Segunda B: The Best Lower League In Europe.

By: chris | November 12th, 2008

Let’s omit the small talk and just get down to brass tacks:

Real Madrid: Knocked out of the Copa del Rey by Segunda B side (third tier) Real Union on away goals (6-6 aggregate) after giving up 3 – f@#$ing THREE – at the Bernabeu, including a 90th minute tie decider. This their second incredibly disappointing Copa showing in a row, having lost twice to Mallorca in the Round of 16 last year.
Villarreal: Unthinkably went down 5-0 in the first tie to Poli Ejido, after starting off the season as one of Europe’s stingiest defensive clubs, and the formality known as leg two wound up 1-1 today, sending the Yellow Submarines out.
Barcelona: Won the first leg 1-0 away, but needed an 87th minute penalty for a similar 1-0 win at Camp Nou – a penalty initially saved, but the rebound bounced nicely back to The Messiah. And as it stands, this is the best team in the world.

As of Sunday, here’s where each club stands in their Segunda B tables (Segunda B has four groups):

Real Union: 1st in Group 1.
Benidorm: 7th in Group 3. (Barca B is 15th)
Polideportivo Ejido: 3rd in Group 4.

Aside from Real Madrid’s new nemesis, hardly dominant teams from week-to-week. And many of the clubs in this league are used to playing the big names – but these big names are followed by “II”, for their reserve sides. Not exactly the best professional competition, safe to say.

Last year’s cup Cinderella story came from Barnsley, whose sword felled giants from London to Liverpool. Cardiff City made it to the final after rudely taking Barnsley’s slipper, but aside from South Yorkshire’s surprise package, their most difficult challenge was ‘Boro. Decent, but no Real or Villarreal. Both also came from the second division, rather than the third, and did their damage in the later rounds, much less the round of 32.

Barnsley was incredibly impressive, no doubt, but the combination of these two wins and the staunch performance of Benidorm against Barca says a lot about the quality and resolve of these teams. They may not make it past the round of 16 – recently the Copa del Rey has been a La Liga shootout – but this Spanish third tier has certainly staked its claim as this year’s lower league to be reckoned with.

Poli Ejido 5-0 first leg win: