Real Sociedad B

There you go.

Yeah, I mean, he's a great, great player, and he's, he managed, that's good information, managed Sociedad B team.

Then he went to Leverkusen from '22 to '25, where they had that amazing run.

Unbelievable year.

We've already talked about how quirky it is for its geographical features with island clubs like Tenerife and Las Palmas, exclave teams like Ceuta, and a foreign side in FC Andorra.

But the league is also home to two reserve sides, Celta Fortuna and Real Sociedad B, and they met in Vigo last weekend.

Yes, and so to mark that occasion, we're going to be looking at B teams in Spanish football today and answering some interesting questions along the way, such as what still-unmatched feat did Real Madrid Castilla achieve back in 1980? Which B team rules are in place to make sure big clubs don't abuse the system? Do reserve teams in the Spanish lower leagues have any fans whatsoever? Did their inclusion in the pyramid play a role in Spain lifting the 2026 World Cup? And how does Spain's approach compare to the other major players in European football? Paul, let's start with an overview of B teams in Spanish football.

Yeah, so B teams and feeder teams have been integrated in the Spanish football pyramid for decades now, and it provides young players with valuable experience and a chance to compete against more seasoned, experienced players in a professional environment.

[laughs] Yeah.

But fast-forward to this century, there has been at least one reserve team in the second tier of Spanish football in 21 seasons, since 2002 to 2003.

And this season, as we mentioned at the top of the show, there are two B teams in La Liga 2, the newly promoted Celta Fortuna, they are Celta Vigo's reserves, and Real Sociedad B, and they met each other at the weekend.

We're gonna be talking about that later on.

They're playing Burgos, being the bank holiday.

Uh, so their result two weeks ago was an incredible comeback from 2-0 down to, to win 3-2 against Real Sociedad B. Uh-

Mm

...

Elche on five and Albacete on one.

That won't change now with that, that, uh, Valladolid win.

Um, [lip smack] Real Sociedad B drop into the relegation with us.

They're a point ahead of us on eighth.

Um, you know, it, it-- the, the, the teams themselves and these two teams are a good example of it.

You know, both Elche Fortuna and uh, and Real Sociedad B do play really good attacking football.

I mean look at the second Real Sociedad B goal.

It's an absolutely lovely goal.

Could easily have made my, uh, three things to look out for this week.

It's just all that goes on with them off the pitch that bothers us.

Yeah.

I mean, uh, and part, uh, just to allude to that part of what goes on off the pitch, we've talked about it many times, is the disappearing of players, right? Now, disappearing of players to play for the first team, I, I totally get, right? But Real Sociedad B had three key players that did not play for them on Saturday against Granada, and do you know why they didn't play for them?

I may re-record this, but we are currently out of the relegation zone in 18th on seven points.

Uh, Cartagena just above us on a- alongside Elche and Sociedad B.

Below us in the relegation zone, 19th, Andorra on seven.

They are currently playing, uh, Córdoba at 20 on six points.

Cádiz hit Leganés for four to get their first win of the season.

Both B teams were involved in 3-2 thrillers, including a Granada remontada from 2-0 down.

We have positive runs for Eibar, who made it seven wins in a row, Almería, who have five wins in a row, and a couple of coaches who are popping their heads above the parapet to be shot at with their poor runs.

El Comandante is back in Segunda, and we have the Copa del Rey draw to talk about as well.

Really been waiting a while to do this, haven't we, Alex? And we finally decided that now is the time.

Uh, we are talking, uh, about a, a fantastic, uh, autobiography by Julián Calero, the Real Oviedo coach, um, which came out I think last c- year, didn't it? And, uh, unfortunately for those of you who don't speak Spanish, uh, it, it, it's only in Spanish at this stage and may never be translated into English.

But, uh, we've picked out some of the most interesting bits, haven't we, to discuss in this week's, uh, Patreon content

contentYeah, there are so many interesting bits.

So we-

Sorry, not Sociedad B, we've played Valladolid, uh, but we've played Celta Fortuna-

Celta, yeah

...

Mm

... and below us, Tudela also on four.

They got that win against Real Sociedad B.

Uh, and Albacete, rock bottom on one.

Still no win for them, just the one point.

On Saturday, Ceuta got their first win of the season, coming from behind against nine-man Real Sociedad B. in a feisty and controversial game which ended 3-1 to Ceuta.

More controversy in Nueva Los Carmenes as Andorra got their first win since matchday one following five defeats in a row.

Andorra won it 3-2 but Granada were unhappy with a red card that was and then wasn't for Andorra goalkeeper Paulo Lopez.

And one of the players that we looked at and went, he's playing Gotti ahead of him.

And I like Gotti, don't get me wrong.

I saw a lot of him again with Real Sociedad B in Primera Federación.

He's a good player.

On this occasion, it looked like the best bet was to fly from Liverpool to Palma and then get a nice little flight in the morning.

straight to San Sebastian to watch Mallorca away at Real Sociedad B.

The only catch for that I found out after booking the flight that hotels are ruinously expensive in Parma at this time.

of the year so I was faced with a potential night in the airport and thankfully my good friend and co-host Alex came to the rescue and acted as chauffeur and hotelier for the evening and two buses later I'm back in the airport ready to fly across to what I thought was San Sebastian Airport as in it was in San Sebastian but it's actually in Andarribia which is about 25 minutes away.

I think it's fascinating.

I can't understand why more people don't come along.

A couple of changes for Real Sociedad B. Valdez in at left-back, and he's actually going to be given the captain's armband.

Aguirre in the centre midfield.