The story of two opposite paths

In September of last year, the paths of Don Benito and Coria seemed diametrically opposed. The pools were then more optimistic for the rojiblancos, settled in Second B, although with the uncertainty of facing the transition after four historic seasons with Juan García on the bench. The chosen one was Juan Carlos Gómez. “We come with a different and new football idea, very demanding, not only to be at the level of the best, but to be the best team in the group”, the Cordovan coach promised in the presentation of the team to a hobby for whom he kept also “many joys”.

More humble were, as he was recently promoted, the expectations towards a Coria that for the first time dyed the already Second RFEF in light blue under the orders of Rai Rosa. At the beginning, Cinderella’s shoe could have seemed tailor-made for the Cauriense team, which started with the aim of achieving permanence.

However, Don Benito’s story soon turned into a nightmare from which he has not yet managed to wake up, while Coria has managed to turn the pumpkin into a carriage to attend the final dance. “They thought we were Cinderella… And Cinderella nothing,” read the poster designed to animate the season ticket campaign for the second round, a declaration of intent that, for now, they are fulfilling.

As if they lived in two parallel universes, this Sunday both will face each other, but they are little or nothing like those teams from last September. The paths have been diametrically opposed, that is true, but not in the direction that everyone expected. El Coria is the one who arrives fighting to be on a par with the best, as promised by a Don Benito who, however, is still fighting for salvation. And it is that the path of the rojiblancos began already crooked. Those pre-season promises came true with the start of the competition and it took Don Benito five games to achieve their first victory. They effusively celebrated a victory in the derby against Villanovense that, in the end, was just a mirage. The era of Juan Carlos Gómez ended in Montijo after 15 days in which Don Benito only won three games.

On the other side, those first 15 steps of the blue Caurian path were already heading in a much better direction than expected. It took ninety minutes for the first win to arrive and another ninety later came the second for Rai’s team who, on matchday 15, already had 27 points against Don Benito’s 15.

The Christmas break was approaching, with Coria enjoying third position as a gift, while Don Benito received coal in the form of relegation places.

But that carbon did not reach a Juan Carlos Gómez who could not fulfill those initial promises because the sports management decided to try to straighten the course with his dismissal and the subsequent arrival of Roberto Aguirre. However, after an oasis of three consecutive victories against Tamaraceite, San Fernando and Mensajero, they returned to a desert of two wins in twelve games that right now leaves the rojiblancos on the edge of a knife, in the position of relegation promotion and with salvation at four points. Despite this, the Asturian coach has improved the figures of his predecessor, adding 18 points in these 15 games.

And where did the Coria road run during all this time? Quite right, at least, until the end of the year. The curves for Rai’s men came after the Christmas break, but the sky-blues knew how to take advantage of their good cushion from the first round so as not to flirt excessively with dangerous positions. On Three Kings’ Day they visited Córdoba and since then they have started a hard pilgrimage of nine days without winning. Overcome that pothole, now there are three weeks without defeat after drawing in Jerez and winning in La Isla against Cádiz B and Montijo.

Two paths, indeed, diametrically opposed, that cross this Sunday at the Vicente Sanz with just four steps to go. El Coria will look back on that month of September in which it all began and will do so without wanting to wake up from this dream painted in light blue. Ahead will be a Don Benito who will pinch himself to wake up from the nightmare of a hell from which only by winning will he be able to get away.