El Madrileño enter the home stretch in Primera Federación | OneFootball

Luis Aragonés used to say that the last 10 matchdays of the league were the most important. Atlético Madrileño has already played the previous 28 in the third tier of Spanish football and there they are, fighting for promotion to LaLiga Hypermotion. In a group with so many strong contenders vying for first place, we analyze the schedule of the rojiblancos and their direct rivals.

Match by match

With the result obtained in Tarazona, which, in terms of the standings, was more important than people think, Atlético Madrileño is more alive than ever in the fight. They are the second highest-scoring team in group 2, and have the top scorer in the category: Arnau Ortiz, with 16 goals and 4 assists. An important asset to fuel hopes of promotion.

Fernando Torres' side will have a unique opportunity to pick up points, as their next two matches will be in Alcalá de Henares. First against Cartagena, then against Antequera. There's a desire for revenge against the albinegros after that defeat in the second matchday of the championship, by the way. The rest of the schedule goes from "less to more," and while it's true that no opponent is easy, the matches against direct rivals won't take place until the penultimate and last matchdays. In between, visits to Murcia and Teruel. After hosting Marbella, Betis Deportivo, and Sabadell, and the trip to Elda, Algeciras will be the last team to visit the Alcalá sports complex and also the last rival for Madrileño.

Let’s keep dreaming. The main handicap in the second half of the season: home matches, where they have yet to win in 2026. I’m sure that will change.

Sabadell, the team to beat

An unexpected rivalry (sportingly speaking and a very healthy one, by the way), but one that is making a lot of noise in our country. Ferrán Costa’s team, a well-oiled machine that has dominated at their peaks and managed to compete even at their lowest, remains the leader of group 2 with a 3-point advantage. Regardless of how the season ends, their place in the division is secured (the first goal for the arlequinados) and they dream of another promotion.

The first of the 10 finals won’t be easy: Europa with Aday Benítez, Jordi Cano, and company are coming. Ghosts of the past, from that 2-0 defeat at Nou Sardenya, and the Europeans have been another unexpected guest at the party. On the schedule, up to 4 teams in the relegation zone and another bordering it, Tarazona. The other direct rival they’ll face is Atlético Madrileño, in the final matchdays in the capital. But beware, because they will also host Hércules led by Beto Company, Real Murcia—possibly the biggest disappointment of the season—and Antequera, who, with nothing to lose, are still putting up a fight.

Will it be enough to hold onto first place? In my opinion, the match against Europa will partly determine their promotion chances. If they win, they’re clear favorites. If they lose, the gap tightens, and if Madrileño wins…danger. For the neutral, it will be spectacular, but for Sabadell fans, maybe not so much.

Europa and Eldense, in pursuit

Catalans and Alicantinians are just one point behind the reserve team. A historic season for the escapulados, including a stadium change, and an Eldense that has grown throughout the season to become a solid, compact, and highly competitive team.

Europa has Jordi Cano, who has scored as many goals as Arnau Ortiz but with one less assist. And this matchday, Aday Benítez’s team begins their rollercoaster, visiting the Nova Creu Alta defended by the leader. From there, they’ll face Eldense and Teruel consecutively. They’ll also visit Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Alcorcón, and Tarragona, as well as host Algeciras, Real Murcia, Villarreal B, and UD Ibiza. Against Atlético Madrileño, they’ve lost the direct duel, having fallen 2-0 in Alcalá and drawn 2-2 at La Bòbila. Against Eldense…so far, a 1-1 draw at Nou Sardenya.

Deportivo may seem to have it easier, as they’ll only face 2 playoff teams and 4 from the relegation zone, plus a Tarazona in poor form. Still, they have matches against Ibiza, Cartagena, and Antequera who are not only tough opponents but also dream of making the promotion playoffs. After several matches without a win, they’ve now racked up 2 victories in which they scored up to 8 goals.

Teruel, Villarreal B, Antequera and Hércules with nothing to lose

A historic campaign for Teruel in Primera Federación, as was the promotion playoff they experienced in 2025. One of the lowest budgets in the category and yet, there they are, in a very creditable 5th position with 42 points. Five behind Europa and Eldense, a relatively wide gap but one I find unlikely to close, as the teams above would have to slip up a lot. The worst part is that the direct rivals are just 1 or 2 points away, and there are quite a few: Villarreal B, Antequera, Hércules, and Cartagena. In fact, they’ll have to fight to hold their position against 2 of them, and all as visitors. A tall order. They’ll also have to host Atlético Madrileño, Alcorcón, and Nàstic, and face relegation teams like Betis Deportivo, Atlético Sanluqueño, and Marbella.

Villarreal B, Antequera, and Hércules have relatively manageable schedules. But the worst, without a doubt, goes to the people of Maulí: aside from Europa, against whom they lost both matches, they’ll have to face the remaining top 5 teams and, among them, visit the top two in the standings. Consistency will determine these teams’ chances of clinching 5th place, and let’s not forget UD Ibiza and Cartagena who, little by little, are getting closer. The albinegros, the next opponent for Madrileño…

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.