MUÑOZ PÉREZ IS EAGER FOR HIS FIRST WIN: CD ESTEPONA IS LOOKING TO SECURE A VICTORY AGAINST LINARES TO STAY ON TRACK

Some games are just to get things started.

And others serve to confirm that what began… is for real.

Tomorrow, CD Estepona returns to Francisco Muñoz Pérez.

Matchday 2.

Second game.

The first real chance to turn that feeling into something more.

Because the season opener against Xerez CD ended in a draw.

A 0-0 tie.

But it also left something more important.

A team that competed.

That applied pressure.

That created chances.

That didn’t back down.

And that left the field feeling like the three points could have been theirs.

Now it’s time to return.

And they’ll face Linares Deportivo.

A team that also comes in with one point.

Also with a draw.

Also with the feeling that they could have gotten more out of their first game.

And with a recent history that Estepona knows all too well.

Because just a few months ago…

Linares already learned the hard way what it means to face this team when it decides not to give up.

The first step has already been taken

Last Saturday’s 0-0 draw wasn’t perfect.

But it wasn’t a bad start either.

Because there are draws that leave you with doubts.

And there are draws that leave work to be done.

The one against Estepona fell into the latter category.

Manolo Sánchez’s team created chances.

They had periods of dominance.

They pressed high up the field.

They sought out the opponent.

And they maintained a recognizable identity from the very first minute.

Fran Martínez also explained that this week.

The new Rojillo goalkeeper, who kept a clean sheet in his official debut, acknowledged that the team came away with pride from the match against Xerez and specifically highlighted its ability to create chances.

The idea is clear:

Create.

Press.

Push forward.

And do it together.

Because if there’s one thing this Estepona team is trying to build, it’s not just a roster.

It’s a team.

And that takes time.

But it’s also starting to show.

Now comes the hardest part

Winning.

Because positive momentum is important.

So is identity.

Hope, even more so.

But in soccer, it all comes down to points.

And Estepona wants all three.

They need them.

Not because the season will be decided tomorrow.

Far from it.

But because ambitious teams also have to learn to turn good games into wins.

Xerez left a point on the table.

Tomorrow there are three more.

And they’re at home.

That changes things.

Because Muñoz Pérez is gearing up for another night.

The second of the season.

And this time with a number that speaks for itself.

More than 1,600 season-ticket holders.

A club record.

More people.

More excitement.

More expectations.

And a stadium that once again wants to take center stage.

Linares Is Also Looking for Answers

The opponent isn’t here just to go through the motions.

Far from it.

Linares kicked off the season with a 1-1 draw against Ciudad de Lucena at Linarejos.

And the match analysis is interesting.

Because for much of the first half, the blue-and-yellows were the better team.

They pressed high up the field.

They dominated.

They found spaces.

And they took the lead in the 17th minute through Juanma Domínguez, following a great play initiated by João Paulo.

During those opening minutes, Linares came across as an intense team with a clear game plan.

But then the game changed.

Ciudad de Lucena began to control the ball more.

The equalizer came.

And after halftime, the game opened up.

Linares had chances.

They also struggled to create clear-cut chances in the final third.

And when the opponent was reduced to ten men in the 75th minute, an opportunity arose that they failed to capitalize on as well.

The match ended 1-1.

And it left a very clear impression:

Linares controlled the game at various points but failed to close it out.

That is precisely what Estepona will have to watch out for.

Because Miguel de la Fuente’s team has already shown it can dominate.

Now it will have to do so for longer stretches.

Miguel de la Fuente Has Turned Things Around

And here’s an important detail.

This isn’t the same Linares as a year ago.

Since Miguel de la Fuente took over as head coach, the Azulillos have found stability.

The coach arrived in January, when the team was in the thick of the battle to avoid the relegation play-offs.

And his response was immediate.

Six wins.

Six draws.

Four losses.

Twenty-four points.

And a final eighth-place finish.

Enough for the club to decide to keep him on.

Through 2027.

It’s no coincidence.

Linares has committed to maintaining a structure.

To keeping its coach.

To continuing to build.

And that makes tomorrow’s opponent a team with a pretty clear vision.

A team that wants to compete.

That knows how to dig deep.

And that has already shown it can turn things around.

A team that has also changed

Because Linares has also been busy over the summer.

Players such as Álex Fernández, Argüelles, Pavel, Iván Romero, Monty, Moi Becken, and Iker Navarro have joined the team, while the club has retained key players from its core roster.

And some of them already played a prominent role in the first matchday.

Monty.

Argüelles.

Iván Romero.

Menudo.

Juanma.

João Paulo.

Velázquez.

Gio Navarro.

A team with experience.

With youth.

With players capable of playing in the middle.

And with enough speed to be dangerous when they find open spaces.

Linares itself has also retained Miguel de la Fuente and strengthened its coaching staff with Jesús Toscanini as assistant coach and Dani Ortega as strength and conditioning coach.

The message is clear.

Linares isn’t here just to see what happens.

They’re here to compete.

And Estepona already knows how to beat them

Because there’s a recent history worth remembering.

April 19, 2026.

Linarejos.

Linares Deportivo.

CD Estepona.

2–3.

But the score tells only part of the story.

The other part is in how it was achieved.

Linares took the lead.

Estepona tied it up.

Linares went back in front just before halftime.

And Estepona fought back again.

Then came the equalizer by Ariel Herrero.

And finally, David Ballarín stepped up.

79th minute.

2-3.

Match won.

And a victory that, in hindsight, ended up being much more important than it seemed that afternoon.

Because that team was still fighting for survival.

And that win was one of the steps that ultimately led Estepona to avoid relegation.

Tomorrow, the story will be different.

But some of the key players remain the same.

And memory matters, too.

Muñoz Pérez Wants to Start Winning

Last season, this stadium ended up celebrating a successful relegation battle.

Now it wants to celebrate something different.

A victory.

The first one.

And there’s probably no better setting to go for it.

Because the team comes into the game with one point.

So does the opponent.

Both need to take a step forward.

Both have something to prove.

But only one will be playing at home.

And that matters, too.

A lot.

Last Saturday, around 2,500 people once again filled the Muñoz Pérez with the spirit of soccer.

Tomorrow, the club is calling on its fans once more.

And now there are more than 1,600 season-ticket holders who’ve already decided they want to be there this season.

It’s not just a number.

It’s a response.

A response to what happened last year.

To staying in the league.

To growth.

To the new project.

To the feeling that this time it might be different.

There’s still something missing

And that’s exactly it.

Everything that’s been built off the field needs to start showing up on it.

The structure.

The professionalism.

The continuity.

The roster.

The coaching staff.

The fans.

Everything is in place.

Now it’s time to compete.

And win.

Because Fran Martínez himself summed it up this week in a very simple way.

The team creates chances.

The team pushes forward.

The team is entertaining.

Now we have to make sure all of that translates into wins.

And maybe that’s the next step.

Don’t change the identity.

Don’t change the style of play.

Don’t change the path.

Just learn how to turn it into points.

A Night to Believe Again

There are important games.

And then there are those that start to set a course.

Nothing will be decided tomorrow.

But we might start to see something.

If Estepona manages to win, there will be three points.

Nothing more.

And nothing less.

But there will also be confirmation.

Confirmation of a team that, after surviving last year, now wants to compete for something much more ambitious.

Confirmation of a roster that has retained a significant portion of its core.

Confirmation of a coach who already knows the way.

Confirmation of an organization that continues to grow.

And confirmation of a fan base that keeps growing.

1,600 season ticket holders.

And growing.

The Muñoz Pérez Stadium reopens its doors.

Linares returns to Estepona.

And Estepona has another chance.

The first one has already come and gone.

The draw left a good impression.

Now it’s time for something more.

Now it’s time to win.

Tomorrow at 9:00 p.m.

At home again.

Back at the Muñoz Pérez.

Back with the fans.

Back to soccer.

Because some seasons start with a win.

And others need a little more.

A draw.

A sign.

A team that’s starting to find its identity.

Fans who are starting to believe again.

And then…

the first win.

Tomorrow could be that day.

And the Muñoz Pérez is ready.