Tenerife B starts the new season with a renewed squad and ambitions.
The revamped Tenerife B team, with 14 new players, debuts in a mini-derby against Las Palmas Atlético, aiming to establish itself in the fourth division of Spain after a disappointing last season.
Two years ago, Tenerife B finally reached the higher division, and it wasn't just a sporting achievement. It showed that the club had changed its approach to the youth system. They began to better understand, evaluate, and develop young players. This was the result of a well-thought-out strategy that gave hope that the Tenerife reserve team would be able to represent the club well in the future.
The team started very well, and their training ground became a real fortress – they lost there for the first time only in March. It seemed that Tenerife B was in for an incredible debut in the Second RFEF (the fourth strongest league in Spain).
But then the team sharply lost ground. Around the middle of the season, when important players left (Etienne González moved to the Portuguese Torreense, and Jorge Padilla joined the main team of Tenerife), a decline began. In early March, after the first defeat on their home field, the reserve team dropped out of the play-off zone and never managed to return there until the end of the championship.
As a result, the 24/25 season of Leandro Cabrera Morales' (Mazinho) team ended in ninth place. This was far from what they dreamed of, although at the beginning of the season such a result would have been good. But after a promising start, it was a disappointment. Now, in their second year in the fourth league, the reserve team has been almost completely renewed. As many as 14 new players of various types have been added to the squad. And tomorrow at 12:00 they will debut in the mini-derby against Las Palmas Atlético at the Gran Canaria stadium.
In addition, this will be the first time that the reserve team has played two consecutive seasons in a league higher than the Third. Previously, after each promotion, the team immediately flew back. This was the case in the former Second B, where Tenerife B spent three seasons (89/90, 95/96 and 09/10), but never managed to stay there for more than one season. This time the story may be different.
Although the league and the group remained the same, the competition for Tenerife B has changed almost completely. They will have as many as nine new rivals: Quintanar del Rey, Intercity, Fuenlabrada, Ilicitano, Las Palmas Atlético, Orihuela, Rayo Vallecano B, Alcalá and Yugo Socuéllamos. The old rivals that remain are Moscardó, Coria, Navalcarnero, Getafe B, Rayo Majadahonda, Real Madrid C, Conquense and Sanse.
In the new season, the reserve team has 14 new players: Giovanni García, Quimets García, Kevin Martel, Ibra Baldé, Guillem Trilla (defenders); Alberto Ulloa, Mauro Costa, Marcos Marrero, Juan Ibarra, Borna Ivanda (midfielders); Dani Álvarez, Omar Sánchez (wingers); and Walid Meddeb and Loren Sánchez (forwards). The club decided to abandon players older than 23 years old. This is one of the main principles of Tenerife's new strategy this season, and it happened after the departure of recruitment manager Joni Vega. Therefore, such important players of last season as Moha Ramos, Omar Jaiter, Adri Pérez, Antonio Arcos or Jorge Padilla no longer play for the team. The club wants only players under 23 in the squad so that Álvaro Cervera can call any of them up to the main team.
Among the new players, Borna Ivanda stands out – perhaps the most interesting addition to the reserve team. This 1.86-meter-tall attacking midfielder constantly plays for the youth national teams of Croatia, and he has now been called up to the U-18 national team, so he will not be able to play in the first match of the season in Gran Canaria. Another promising player during the pre-season was Dani Álvarez, brother of Carlos – a key player for Levante. But he broke his leg during the pre-season, and this was the worst news for the reserve team this summer.
Dani Fernández, Fran Sabina, Dylan Perera, Alberto Ulloa, Sergio Aragoneses and Kevin Martel can also help Mazinho's team. They are registered for the reserve team, but train with the main team. The main goal remains the same: to continue developing young players so that the reserve team becomes a springboard to the main team. This will be the main priority of the coaching staff under the leadership of Mazinho.