The Royal Spanish Football Federation, in the RFEF Second B-Second Commission held this Thursday in Las Rozas, has proposed to recover the old playoff format for that category, with round-trip qualifiers. A criterion that the Federation also wants to apply to the rest of its categories (First RFEF and Third RFEF) from next season.
After the period of reflection and consultations opened on Monday with the territorial federations and with the clubs, the Federation has proposed to recover the traditional playoff format with two-legged knockout rounds. In the case of the Second RFEF, the system would be the same for the Permanence Tournament, played by the four worst teams that finish in thirteenth place in their groups.
In an exceptional scenario due to the pandemic, the RFEF implemented a final phase with a single venue in 2020 in order to guarantee the completion of the competitions. A format that has continued this year and has caused complaints from some teams.
The expenses generated by a format that has forced the teams to make two trips (except to clubs such as Deportivo -First RFEF- or La Nucía -Second RFEF- have played in their stadiums when they were designated venues for those playoffs) and the The absence of box office income this year has caused protests from clubs such as Nástic de Tarragona.
The Catalan club, which did not achieve promotion after losing in the final against Villarreal B, has been one of the clubs that has been most critical of the organization of a promotion playoff in a single venue, a format that forces many equipment to travel hundreds of kilometers. As a result, many fans who have wanted to attend the playoff this year have not been able to support their team.
It must be remembered that the playoffs for promotion to the Second Division have been held this season in a single match in Riazor and Balaídos, stadiums to which the followers of Albacete, Rayo Majadahonda, Nástic, Villarreal, Linares, UD Logroñés, and Racing had to travel. from Ferrol. A format that has generated criticism from players and fans who understand that it loses its appeal compared to traditional round-trip qualifiers in stadiums full of fans. A circumstance that has not occurred this year in Vigo, but it has in La Coruña when Deportivo have played their qualifiers. For this reason, the RFEF has accepted to undertake modifications and has listened to the proposal that several clubs have sent to it.
The return to the playoff with knockout rounds does not mean a complete return to the competition format that existed before the pandemic. The intention of the Federation is that the group champions of the First, Second and Third RFEF continue to ascend directly, while the second, third, fourth and fifth classified would dispute those playoffs, which will no longer be in a single venue. In this way, the classified clubs will at least guarantee an important box office.
