Last updated June 16, 2020 by Javier Argudo
Sergio Martinez Ballesteros is a true icon of Levantinism. The footballer was one of the key pieces of the Granota 'renaissance' back in the day. 2008 and led a group that reached the Europa League soon after.
After debuting in the granota group there by 1994, Ballesteros (at that time simply Sergio), he packed for Tenerife. The footballer had caught the attention of Jupp Heynckes, coach of the Tenerife club, in a cup tie that faced the island club and the Valencian. At that time, the canaries were one of the great First Division teams while Levante played in Second B.
After a long career in the First Division in Tenerife, Villarreal O Mallorca, Ballesteros returned to his home to, as we say, relaunch a club that had been on the verge of liquidation. Levante had to take advantage of the Concursal law to save the guy and with a team full of remnants, stonemasons and old glories (besides Sergio he arrived at the club a year later Juanfran) accomplished something unthinkable: promotion to First Division the year of its centenary.
The 2010-2011 it was not a simple campaign in the highest category. The Levante he still couldn't pay transfers for great footballers and had to figure out how to form a group that would fight from you to you with the greatest teams in the Spanish League.
The Orriols club finished the first round as bottom with only 15 points after a rather worrying start. The Levante he was number one candidate for relegation. But nevertheless, The team of Luis García Plaza, the coach who had worked the miracle the previous season, began to score points until achieving an incredible permanence one day before the end of the championship.
The objective was not achieved in any field, much less. The Levante scratched the point he needed in Mestalla, home of the eternal rival, in a match that ended with a draw to zero. It was then that figure Ballesteros He gained prominence. Coinciding with the final whistle, captain granota burst with glee. First it almost gets ahead of Vicente Rodriguez (who changed the elastic granota for the valencianista) and then he went to the box of authorities taking his hand to his crotch.
The gesture generated a lot of controversy because it was considered as a lack of respect by a sector of Valencianism: “I don't have to apologize for anything.. As I already explained it was a gesture addressed to my president, Quico Catalan, who was in the box. What bothers me is that they talk about that and not about Levante's season.”. Manifested Ballesteros in various media.
The granota captain continued in the club and was key in the historic classification of the Levante to play the Europa League. His sprint against it was also viral Cristiano Ronaldo in a match against Real Madrid in the City of Valencia. Definitely, one of the best players in the history of the Catalan team.
