Features
SÁB 02.07.2016
The season just gone will forever have a place in the Sevilla Atletico history books, after the Sevilla FC youth team produced a near-perfect campaign to clinch promotion to LaLiga2.
The Andalusians will be the only youth team in Segunda Division next term, a feat which owes, in no small part, to the commitment and dedication of a golden crop of youngsters, who have ensured that following a seven-year spell down in Segunda Division B (Spain's third tier), the club are able to look forward to their fourth-ever campaign in the second tier.
Diego Martinez's charges ended the regular season in third place in Group 4, with 68 points and a record of 17 wins, 17 draws and just four defeats to their name. The Sevilla youth side carried this fine form into the playoff campaign, as they overcame UD Socuellamos and UD Logroñes, before edging past Lleida Esportiu on penalties to clinch promotion.
A hero between the sticks
One of the keys factors in their march to LaLiga2 was the consistent form of goalkeeper, Jose Antonio Caro, who throughout the season proved himself to be Mr.Reliable between the sticks. Caro capped off an excellent year by producing heroics in the penalty shoot-out triumph over Lleida, saving one effort before keeping his cool to slot home the winning spot-kick.
Rising stars with an eye for goal
Martinez's troops showed themselves to be a really potent force in front of goal this past campaign. Indeed, the Andalusians ended the regular season as one of the league's most prolific sides, chalking up an impressive 53 goals to finish level with Cadiz CF and just behind Real Murcia CF and Granada CF B, who both accumulated 56 goals over the course of the campaign.
The side's uncontested sharpshooter was Carlos Fernandez, who topped the team's scoring charts with 17 goals. At just 20, Fernandez already has six top-flight appearances to his name and is one who is tipped for a big future. He was ably supported in the goalscoring stakes by Ivan 'Ivi' Lopez, who played his part, chipping in with eight goals following his summer arrival from Getafe CF. The team's third top scorer was Curro Sanchez, a jet-heeled winger who also found the back of the net eight times and is another who made his first-team bow during the 2015/16 campaign.
Real club man coaches side to glory
Whilst he may have been born in Vigo, since joining the club in 2009, Martinez has become very much part of the furniture at the club. He began his Sevilla FC career as a coaching assistant, and before taking charge of Sevilla Atletico, he enjoyed spells as coach of Sevilla C and the Under-18s, whilst he has also been part of the first-team coaching staff during his time at the club.
Martinez took up the reins at Sevilla Atletico in the 2014/15 season and he's made a real impression, guiding the side back to the second tier within the space of just two seasons.
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