When the football Extremadura was present in First Division

The kids who live with intensity football in the years 90 We remember with some nostalgia to certain equipment. It is the case Extremadura CF CP and Merida, who represented the football extremeño First Division for four consecutive seasons.

curiously, both teams seemed to agree that their ascents and descents did not make them match since first Merida and then Estremadura militated two seasons in First and the descent of one coincided with the rise of another. what we review.

CP MÉRIDA

The emeritense set extremeño was the first club to achieve the dream of the top flight of Spanish football. The 27 May 1995, the team led by Sergio Kresic He managed the mathematical ascent in the Stadium Ipurua, Éibar. The staff had players like goalkeeper Leal (who won the Zamora Trophy that season), Correa, Momparlet, Benitez Reyes or. that season 1994-1995 They agreed in Second Division Merida, Extremadura and Badajoz.

Sinval, Quique Martin, David Pirri and so on they reinforced the template Merida in his debut in the First Division but did not achieve the goal of permanence and only a year later the team Kresic consummating the decline. Despite all that campaign 1995-1996 He left unforgettable matches. Large did not have it easy against the team extremeño. Ties in the Camp Nou (2-2) and the Vicente Calderón (1-1). The draw at home against Real Madrid (2-2) Y FC Barcelona (0-0) They are a clear example of this.

The relegation to the Second did not involve more than one step back to gain momentum again as the team Jose Roman Fouto He managed to ascend immediately in the 1996-1997 as the #. The computer base remained with Leal in goal and Canabal and Quique Martin making goals that allowed the first joining Real Madrid himself.

The second experience Merida First Division was not very different from the previous one and was again briefly. They came to the team many reinforcements (Mono Montoya, Pablo Alfaro, De Los Santos, Biagini, Leo Franco, Sabas…). However those Jorge D´Alessandro (who had taken over the team midway through the previous season) They could not prevent a further decline.

From there the Roman club went into a tailspin to the point of suffering the disappearance and refundación, as happen to your neighbor and kin, the CF Extremadura we discussed below.

EXTREMADURA CF

The parallel with the Merida Is very striking. As we said at the beginning of the article, one declines coincided with the promotion of the other and vice versa. The Extremadura CF He earned his first promotion to the First Division in the campaign 1995-1996 (first drop of his neighbor). that team, directed by Josu Ortuondo He delighted the audience Almendralejo. players like Cuts, Oscar Montiel, Pedro Jose, Félix Carbayo, This Manuel or They upgraded to the history of this small town.

The first experience in the elite of Spanish football could not have started worse. We all felt identified with this humble team was not able to score points (He lost the first 7 matches) and he ended the first round with very few units in his locker. But nevertheless, the arrival in the winter market Basualdo, Silvani or Navarro Montoya, attached to Pineda, Tough and others already formed the template, they made the Estremadura brushed salvation.

Second again they got an immediate rise this time from the hand Rafa Benitez which he managed to make themselves known on the national scene. A footballer was instrumental in the return to First, Igor Gluščević, can score 24 goals in that historic 1997-1998.

The 1998-1999 It was much disputed by extremeños who managed to fight until the last day to avoid relegation but finally had to gamble in the promotion against Vallecano Ray. The set of Vallecas imposed by 2-0 Y 0-2 and he sent to Almendralejo back to Second.

To continue with the similarities between the two clubs, the Estremadura also he lived some difficult years that led to the disappearance of the club founded back in the year 2007. Hopefully again enjoy football First Extremadura soon.