Roberto Bautista and Sergio García united by football as Els Ibarsos move draws local reaction | OneFootball

Roberto Bautista begins a new chapter in provincial football with Els Ibarsos, a move that recalls Sergio García's spell at Borriol, though with key differences. The pair are Castellón sporting icons who carried the province's name internationally and long nurtured a bond with football.

According to El Periódico Mediterráneo, García played for Borriol while still a top-level professional golfer and at the club he presided over, a venture rich in emotion but not without risk. Bautista arrives after ending his tennis career, taking football as a fresh competitive outlet.

As president-player at Borriol, García featured in 63 matches, 53 in Tercera División, logging 1,258 minutes and scoring three goals, one at national level. Under his presidency the club rose to Regional Preferente then to Tercera División, spending seven seasons there before he stepped down in 2018.

At Els Ibarsos, Bautista links up with captain and close friend Álex González, who said the plan to share a dressing room has been years in the making and he is delighted it can finally happen. He views Bautista primarily as a centre forward, possibly wide, and expects his conditioning to ease adaptation to Primera FFCV, while praising his technique. González believes Bautista could have forged a football career and is certain he will be highly competitive and eager to do well.

From the opposition, San Pedro's Manu García said he has no doubt Bautista will adapt to a demanding division. He called it positive for the league when an elite athlete plays here after competing at the highest level, adding that he thinks Bautista will do well.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo