FC Barcelona Athletic faces a crucial week in the Segunda Federación (Group 3) following a recent 1-1 draw against CD Alcoyano at the Johan Cruyff Stadium, thanks to an own goal by the visitors early in the second half.
Barcelona Athletic currently sits fifth with 37 points, eight points behind leaders Poblense, with only 10 matches remaining. The club still has real chances to compete for direct promotion or at least playoff spots, but their current form is compromised by the inability to achieve consecutive wins.
On Wednesday at 17:30, they will play Castellón B in a rescheduled match from round 23, postponed due to a red warning for strong winds in the Castellón province. A win will boost them to fourth place, ahead of Reus FCR with 39 points; a loss or draw would leave their standing unchanged.
On Saturday at 16:00, they will face Valencia Mestalla, a playoff-position team, at Paterna Sports City. Should Barcelona Athletic win both fixtures, they could rise to third place by the end of the round, but this also depends on Athletic Balears' result.
The team faces challenges due to more injuries than expected — the latest being Jofre Torrens, who had to be substituted minutes after entering the last match. Nevertheless, coach Juliano Belletti trusts in a young squad with room for growth. Recently, the reserves also brought joy to fans by qualifying for the Catalonia Cup final after eliminating FC Andorra 2-1, although this tournament is not a priority.
