Quote (zarkadon @ 14 May 2018 16:13)
So, Mallorca will have to face Mirandés in the first round of the "Championship Playoff".
A quick reminder, the 4 group champions play this playoff. The first round is the semifinals, and the two teams that pass will automatically promote to Segunda and will fight for the third tier championship in the final. Meanwhile the two losers of the first round drop to the second round of the "Promotion playoff" and are given a new chance to promote. This playoff includes the 12 teams that finished 2nd-4th in the 4 third tier groups. After the first round 6 teams remain, which once we add the two losers from the first round of the championship playoffs make 8. Teams will have to play two more rounds to decide the other two teams that promote.
So Mallorca will have its first chance to promote against Mirandés. On paper they are the toughest team we could have faced, as I explained in the previous page (they have a pretty solid team and they have much more experience in these playoffs), but we are supposed to be better. Let's see if we can prove it... after all, anything can happen over two legs.
This Sunday we will play the first leg, at home. And then the following Sunday, we will play the decisive second leg away. Interestingly we were relegated last season in an away game against Mirandés... this means we could promote in the exact same place we were relegated one year ago, which would be quite poetic.
is there any significant incentive (financial for example) to win the 'final' if you already qualified by winning the 1st leg? i mean sure, calling yourself 'champion' is nice and all, but it's not like anyone will know (or even care) in 2 years, so i would just send my bench players, their motivation might be even higher than the regular squad's - especially if the 'title' isn't prestigious enough to prevent well-deserved celebrations the moment you secured promotion... anyway, gl to your boys.