The battle for survival in Spain’s Segunda División takes center stage this Monday at El Alcoraz. Huesca and Real Sociedad B face off in a decisive clash for their professional football aspirations. For the San Sebastián reserve side, a win would virtually secure their place in the second tier. For the hosts, this match is a golden opportunity to climb out of the relegation zone to Primera Federación after spending eleven consecutive matchdays in the danger area.
The atmosphere in Huesca is that of a true final. The club from Alto Aragón has mobilized all its resources to turn El Alcoraz into a decisive factor. Sunday’s training session was opened to the public and drew a significant turnout from fans. On Monday, there will be a bus welcome ceremony, raffles, a DJ, a tifo display, and various initiatives aimed at pushing the team through the most important match of the season. The club is well aware that this is a unique chance to fully rejoin the fight for survival.
The big news for coach José Luis Oltra is the availability of Jorge Pulido. The captain managed his workload throughout the week and was determined not to miss this crucial fixture, especially given the numerous defensive absences plaguing the blue-and-reds. The rest of the lineup will closely resemble that of recent matchdays—a unit that has shown better performances than results, though the victory secured in the Aragonese derby restored hope to a squad that refuses to give up.
Huesca knows there is no room for error left. Recent stumbles by fellow relegation-threatened teams like Zaragoza, Cádiz, Mirandés, and Cultural have kept the blue-and-reds alive. They could move out of the drop zone by claiming all three points, with only three matchdays remaining after this one. The response from the fans has fueled optimism, and one of the largest attendances in El Alcoraz history is expected.
For its part, Real Sociedad B could take a nearly definitive step toward safety with a win over a direct relegation rival like Huesca, who currently sit six points behind the txuri-urdin. To do so, the “potrillos” must secure a victory—something they haven’t achieved since March 15, when they beat Córdoba 0-2 at Nuevo Arcángel. Since then, Ansotegi’s side has recorded six losses and two draws, reducing their cushion above the relegation zone, though they still hold a six-point lead with a game in hand.
Oltra: “This is our moment, and we have to take advantage of it.”
For this encounter, the Basque coach has almost his entire squad available, with the exception of long-term absentee Orobengoa. Aitor Fraga, Luken Beitia, Job Ochieng, and Gorka Carrera—who were called up with the first team—are expected to feature, and all are likely to start. Carrera, one of the division’s top scorers with 14 goals, even got a few minutes in Real Sociedad’s match against Betis and had a good chance to score, but Vallés saved his header. There are no suspensions, so Real B is expected to field a star lineup, with players like Aguirre, Mikel Rodríguez, Ochieng, and Carrera tipped to make the difference.
