 | ||||
| Full name | Club Deportivo Atlético Baleares, S.A.D.Club Esportiu Atlètic Balears, S.A.E. (in Catalan) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicknames | Balearicos, blanc-i-blaus | |||
| Short name | ATB, Baleares | |||
| Founded | 20 November 1920; 105 years ago (1920-11-20) asBaleares Football Club | |||
| Stadium | Estadi Balear | |||
| Capacity | 6,000 | |||
| President | Ingo Volckmann | |||
| Head coach | Luis Blanco | |||
| League | Segunda Federación – Group 3 | |||
| 2024–25 | Segunda Federación – Group 3, 2nd of 18 | |||
| Website | www | |||
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Club Deportivo Atlético Baleares, S.A.D. (Catalan:Club Esportiu Atlètic Balears) is aSpanish football team based inPalma, the capital of theisland of Mallorca, in the autonomous community of theBalearic Islands. Founded in 20 November 1920, its first men's team currently plays inSegunda Federación, the fourth tier ofSpanish football, hosting games at theEstadi Balear with a capacity of 6,000 seats.[1] Itsfirst women's team is active in theSegunda Federación, the third division, playing atSon Malferit. Besides, its youth academy has around a dozen of teams.[2][3]
Atlético Baleares reached theSegunda División, the second tier, on two occasions, participating for a total four seasons in the 1950s and 1960s. Moreover, it disputed 16 seasons of the extinctSegunda División B, claiming the title on three occasions, and 3 seasons of thePrimera Federación. Still, Atlético Baleares has most often been present in theTercera División.
Its origins are related to the working class of Palma, and already in the 1920s, Atlético Baleares became the main rival ofRCD Mallorca, the island's most successful club.[4][page needed] This rivalry, commonly dubbed thePalma derby, has stayed alive until the present, despite the low number of direct confrontations during the last decades.
Atlético Baleares was known asBaleares FC until 1942, when it adopted its current name after a fusion with Athletic FC. Still, many fans call the club by its old name.[5]
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For decades, there have colloquially been two ways to refer to the club:Atlético Baleares, the club's complete name, andBaleares, the club name until the fusion with Athletic FC in 1942. The usage of the latter name can be explained with an important nuance regarding that fusion: the identity of Baleares was maintained, which meant that the fusion was popularly experienced as an absorption process of Athletic by Baleares.[6] This is also why Atlético Baleares is widely acknowledged as a continuation of Baleares.[4][page needed][5]
Moreover, there exists a second nuance when it comes to the choice of which name to use for the club. Mallorca is an island where two languages coexist: thelocal variety ofCatalan, the original language, and Spanish, the dominant language. Still, Catalan is the vernacular language among many inhabitants and the most used language among supporters of Atlético Baleares. In Catalan, the club is referred to asAtlètic Balears or simplyBalears, whileAtlético Baleares andBaleares are the Spanish denominations. The most used name among the supporters isAtlètic Balears.[5]
The music and lyrics of the hymn of Atlético Baleares are composed by Pere Cladera. Originally sung in Spanish, the Catalan version (1996) is made by Rafel Pericàs Ballester and is the version that is still used by the club before matches and official acts.[7][8][page needed]
The lyrics of the hymn are the following:
L’equip nostre s’anomena com les Illes, amb elles s’identifica i representa amb honor. Són els nostres els colors de la mar blava com també el de la llum clara de la nostra tradició. És aposta que els grans amb els infants junts suport els hi donam i tots plegats els animam. I així totes les grans gestes recordam per això plegats cantam. L’Atlètic és el més gran. Atlètic, Atlètic, oe, oe, oe. Atlètic, Atlètic, oe, oe, oe. És l’escut que portam damunt el cor allò que més ens motiva a lluitar pel més bo. Entre noltros no hi ha classes socials, l’amor a n’el Balears és l’única condició. Atlètic, Atlètic, oe, oe, oe. Atlètic, Atlètic, oe, oe, oe. Atlètic, Atlètic, oe, oe, oe. Atlètic, Atlètic, l’Atlètic és el millor!
Translation to English:
Our team is named like the Islands; it identifies with these and represents them with honor. Our colors are of the blue sea and the bright light of our tradition. It’s a bet that the adults, together with the children, give support to the players and that everyone encourages them. And this way, we remember all the big gestures, which is why we sing together. Atlètic is the greatest. Atlètic, Atlètic, oe, oe, oe. Atlètic, Atlètic, oe, oe, oe. It’s the crest that we wear on our hearts that motivates us most to fight for the most beautiful. Between us, there are no social classes; our love for Balears is the only condition. Atlètic, Atlètic, oe, oe, oe. Atlètic, Atlètic, oe, oe, oe. Atlètic, Atlètic, oe, oe, oe. Atlètic, Atlètic, Atlètic is the best!
The crest used since the fusion between Baleares FC and Athletic FC in 1942 has remained much the same, only undergoing small aesthetic changes over time. Before that moment, Atlético Baleares used a completely different crest.[4][page needed]
The superior part is round and has two spikes at the sides. The middle part of the exterior is vertical, and when going down, the sides come together before ending in a point. During the first decades of its existence, the crest had a slightly different shape.
The inside of the crest, laying over a brown ball at the top, consists of three parts that can be divided horizontally:
In the 21st century, different versions of the crest with the club's name inCatalan been designed by supporters, but these have never been accepted as official.
Since its foundation in 1920, Atlético Baleares has always played in a kit that consists of blue and white vertical stripes. The number, width, and tone of the blue stripes have varied over the years. The colours refer to the logo ofIsleña Marítima, the employer of the founding members of Mecánico FC, one of the clubs from which Atlético Baleares was born.[4][page needed]
The mascot of Atlético Baleares is Ferreret, an endemicMajorcan midwife toad, named after the Catalan word for the toad. The mascot has been designed by the artistAntoni Bibiloni Palmer, known in the artistic world as Bibi, in the 1990s.[8][page needed] Currently, he handed the rights to the mascot to theAtlético Baleares Foundation, which is responsible for administrating and managing its image.[9]
In 2009–10, a new version of Ferreret was presented, which introduced the presence of the mascot at the home matches and official acts.[10] In the 2020s, Ferreret stopped appearing often.
For a long time, the history of the club had not been researched, which has only happened in the 21st century. That is why many still trace the origin of the club back to 1942, even though it has been proven and widely accepted that 1920 is the actual foundational year of Atlético Baleares.[6][5][4][page needed]
On 3 April 1920, an article about the foundation of new football teams inPalma appeared in the local newspaperÚltima Hora. The following sentence stood out in the text:
En los talleres de la Isleña tengo noticias que se hacen preparativos para formar unteam (I have news from the Isleña workshops that preparations are made to form a team).
While football used to be a sport for the middle or upper class, this was the first time a working-class group created a football team, concretely a group of workers atIsleña Marítima, complemented by naval machinists that were doing an internship at the company.[6][11][12] This team adopted the name ofMecánico FC (in Catalan:Mecànic FC).
Their shirts were based on the colours of the company: three vertical blue stripes on a white background, inspired by the initialsI-M on the blue background of the original logo of Isleña Marítima. The workers did not have to spend money on elaborating shorts, as they were able to cut their blue overalls.[13][14] The members gathered in the caféCan Rasca (Carrer de Sant Miquel, 67, which used to be 187, right next to the Carrer dels Oms) in Palma. The team lacked a field and played on anesplanade at the Moll de Palma, very close to the former offices of Isleña Marítima.[14][15]
In the same edition of the newspaper cited earlier, another phrase stood out:
En la fundición de los señores Carbonell se organiza otro once, que promete ser un terrible rival por la corpulencia de la gente obrera que se alista. (In the foundry of the Carbonell men another eleven is organized, which promises to be a terrible rival for the bulk of the working people who enlist)
A team founded by workers of theFundición Carbonell, a small metalworking company in the city.[6][11][16] The team initially used the same name of the company and subsequently adopted the nameMallorca FC. The team colors consisted of a totally white T-shirt and pants. Mallorca FC had its club house in caféCan Meca (Carrer Arxiduc Lluís Salvador, at cornering theAvingudes) inPalma and Carbonell played its games in a field calledsa Síquia Reial, located between Avinguda del Comte de Sallent and Carrer Blanquerna in the same city.[11][14][17]
Later in 1920, Mallorca FC left its social premises and moved toCan Rasca, the clubhouse of Mecánico FC. Given their similar work and social class, the members of both clubs got along well and decided to merge to form a more powerful club. Thus, on 14 November[18] or 20 November[19] (depending on the source), a constitutional assembly was held, in which the fusion of Mecánico FC and Mallorca FC was approved under the name Baleares Football Club. The name was unanimously accepted by the attendees, who considered it representative of the social profile of the club. The club house of Baleares remained in the caféCan Rasca. The pitch that the new club would use would be that of Mallorca FC,sa Síquia Reial. As for the kit, the white and blue striped T-shirt of Mecánico FC and the white pants of the Mallorca FC were adopted.[6][20]
The new club debuted on 21 November 1920, winning 5–0 in theTirador velodrome againstVeloz Sport Balear, which was one of the most potent teams at the time.[21]
In 1921, Baleares played its first major tournament: theCopa Ayuntamiento, organized by theMunicipality of Palma, and finished second behindRS Alfonso XIII FC (currently known asRCD Mallorca). Afterward, Baleares has been a regular in local competitions.[22]
Soon, a fierce rivalry between those two teams developed, a rivalry that transcended sports. On the one hand,RS Alfonso XIII FC was a team followed and supported by the most well-off classes, as well as by theSpanish monarchists, while on the other hand, Baleares has its origins in the humblest estates and inRepublicanism. The rivalry between these teams still exists and is called thePalma derby.[23][24]
Due to the growth of the club, Baleares moved to theSon Canals Stadium, which opened in 1923 and remained its home for decades.[25][26] Meanwhile, the club participated in theRegional Balearic Championship, first organized in 1923 by theCatalan Football Federation and since 1926 by theBalearic Islands Football Federation until its disappearance in 1940. Baleares was always in the front line of the competition: it finished as runner-up of the Mallorcan Championship on nine occasions, only surpassed byRS Alfonso XIII FC orCE Constància fromInca. It won the Mallorcan Championship in the 1927–28 season but lost the Balearic Championship final toUD Mahón, the champion ofMenorca, by 1–0.[6]
In other competitions, one of the highlights of Baleares was the triumph in the President of the Republic Cup, a tournament played by the top-tier teams of the Mallorcan Championship during the 1933–34, 1934–35, and 1935–36 seasons, with a trophy in dispute awarded by the then-presidentNiceto Alcalá Zamora. Baleares won the second and third editions and, consequently, the cup in dispute, as teams could obtain the cup if they would win two editions.[6] Some days later, the club was about to participate in thePeople's Olympiad in Barcelona, which was supposed to be held from 19 to 26 July 1936, but the military uprising by theFrancoists impeded the tournament's start and led the players to meet for a friendly in the Republican zone at the start of theSpanish Civil War.[27]
In 1940 the club absorbedMediterráneo FC, another of the city's main clubs, which would further increase the social mass.[28] That same year, the nameBaleares Football Club was changed toClub de Fútbol Baleares, according to the guidelines of theFrancoist regime that prohibited the use of other languages besides Spanish, including in names of football clubs.[29][30]
Baleares played inPrimera Regional de Mallorca when, in 1940, theRegional Balearic Championship was transformed into a part of the lower divisions of theSpanish football league system. This, together with other factors, caused the decline of Baleares and almost led to relegation to theSegunda Regional de Mallorca.[5]
In 1942, thePalma Council approved an urban planning change that forced another club fromPalma, CD Atlético (until 1940 calledAthletic FC), to leave its stadium,Sa Punta. The club lacked the resources to build a new stadium and contacted other clubs to discuss a possible merger. First, its directors approachedCD Mallorca, but the negotiations failed because CD Atlético wanted the future club to be calledCD Atlético-Mallorca, whileCD Mallorca did not want any name change.[6][31] Then, CD Atlético contacted Baleares, with whom they reached an agreement. The fusion agreement was signed on 27 May 1942 and consisted of the following points:
The agreement was legally embodied as a merger with equality of clubs, but in practice, it was an absorption of CD Atlético by Baleares. Baleares had a much more numerous fanbase, and its working-class essence was imposed on the middle-class origins of CD Atlético. Besides, the new club inherited the rivalry of Baleares withCD Mallorca, even though CD Atlético maintained a more cordial relationship with the city's most potent club. The nameCD Atlético was incorporated into the name of the new entity, but the rest of its hallmarks (colours, stadium, and badge) disappeared.[6][33] Pere Serra Cladera, president of Baleares, was invested president of Atlético-Baleares (calledCD Atlético Baleares by 1943) and Francesc Riera Rigo, president of CD Atlético, was appointed vice president.[6][34]
The first season of Atlético-Baleares was 1942–43, during which the club played in the Primera Regional. It only was surpassed byCD Mallorca, but both teams still achieved promotion to theTercera División. For the first time, Atlético Baleares would have to compete with clubs from theIberian Peninsula, which caused logistical and financial problems. During those years, the league results of Atlético Baleares were mediocre, with the exception of the third place achieved in the1945–46 and1946–47 seasons, which gave them access to the playoffs for promotion toSegunda División for the first time.[35][36]
In the1950–51 season, Atlético Baleares was crowned champion of theTercera División. The club participated in the promotion play-off, finished on top, and achieved promotion to theSegunda División for the first time in its history. Atlético Baleares participated two consecutive seasons in the second division and returned to the Tercera División in 1953. In the third division, the team achieved strong results, was league champion in1955–56, and participated in the playoffs for promotion in 1956,1957, and1958, but without returning to the second tier.[37][38]
Atlético Baleares was flourishing, both regarding the league and the social dimension and decided to construct a new stadium. The capacity of the oldSon Canals was not sufficient anymore, and its owners threatened to evict the club, which is why the club approved the project for a new stadium in 1958. TheEstadi Balear was inaugurated on 8 May 1960 with a match againstBirmingham City FC, which the home team won by 2–0.[39][40]
In1960–61, Atlético Baleares was crowned champion of the Tercera División again and achieved promotion to theSegunda División. Again, the club stayed two seasons in the second division before dropping to the third tier in1963.[41][42] Despite this relegation, Atlético Baleares maintained its considerable potential, given that it consistently finished in the top positions and qualified for the promotion playoffs in 1964, 1965, 1966, and 1968, without success.
Since the end of the 1960s, the club was economically declining and experienced gradually worse results in theTercera División, until the1972–73 season, when the club got relegated to theRegional Preferente. Atlético Baleares recovered its place in theTercera División in 1974–75, but the subsequent classifications continued to be mediocre.[43]
In 1977, theSegunda Division B, the new third tier, was created, and Atlético Baleares qualified for its first edition. Butthat season, Atlético Baleares finished bottom of the league and returned to theTercera División (the new fourth tier), in which it repeated poor classifications.[44] This relegation and the following decline in results led to the disappearance of direct confrontations withRCD Mallorca. The last editions of thePalma derby in the 20th century include numerous friendlies in theNicolau Brondo Trophy and a match in the1986–87 Copa del Rey.
Disappointing results in theTercera División continued until a new relegation to theRegional Preferente in the1980–81 season. Socially and economically, there was chaos at Atlético Baleares, leading the club to remain two seasons in the amateur competition.[45]
After returning to the Tercera División in the1983–84 season, Atlético Baleares improved substantially and participated in the1985–86 Tercera División play-off. Despite failing to achieve promotion, the restructuring of theSegunda División B helped the club go up a tier, being its second promotion to this competition.[46]
The team remained three seasons inSegunda Division B:1987–88,1988–89 and1989–90. During the 1988–89 season, the team was very close to finishing on top, a place that would have provided direct promotion to theSegunda División. However, the following season, Atlético Baleares dropped to the Tercera División. Moreover, economic and institutional problems, added to the bad state of theEstadi Balear and the poor assistance to home matches, left Atlético Baleares in crisis.[47]
After returning to theTercera División in 1990, Atlético Baleares entered a bittersweet dynamic that lasted for more than a decade. The club consistently performed well in the league: between 1990 and 2002, Atlético Baleares qualified in the top four except for one season. Such classifications allowed the club to participate in playoffs for promotion to theSegunda División B. Besides, Atlético Baleares was crowned champions four times, of which three in a row (1998,2000,2001, and2002).
However, the playoffs always ended unsuccessfully. The club disputed it in1991,1992,1994,1995,1996,1997,1998,1999,2000,2001, and2002 (eleven times in twelve seasons), but failed every year. In those years, allBalearic teams ended with the same fate when facing teams from thePeninsula because the Balearic group of theTercera División had a lower level in comparison to other groups, and Atlético Baleares was no exception. This demoralized both the club and the fanbase, which took its toll.[48]
After many failed playoffs, Atlético Baleares entered into a crisis again, fueled by institutional and economic problems. The institutional instability worsened: the relations between the club andProcampo, the community of co-owners ofEstadi Balear, worsened. Moreover, players and managers were often let go quickly.[49]
In2002–03 and2003–04, the classifications of Atlético Baleares were disappointing, and in2004–05, the club collapsed. Players did not receive their salaries, and during some matches, there were only eleven players available. The club's youth academy was dismantled, and the institutional friction caused Procampo to prohibit Atlético Baleares from using theEstadi Balear. Atlético Baleares moved to the nearbyGermans Escales complex and suffered an inevitable relegation to theRegional Preferente. 2005 is considered one of the darkest years in the history of the club since the entity was about to disappear after 85 years.[50]
Atlético Baleares managed to survive, after which the club entered a dynamic of economic and sportive regeneration. The team was crowned champion of theRegional Preferente in the 2005–06 season and returned toTercera División.[51] The2006–07 season was designed as a year of consolidation in this competition, but the team performed well and was close to playing the play-off for promotion to theSegunda División B[52]
In the2007–08 season, Atlético Baleares aimed for promotion and qualified for thepromotion play-off to the Segunda División B. First,AD Universidad de Oviedo was beaten (1–1 inOviedo and 2–1 inPalma). Then, Atlético Baleares won againstSD Gernika Club (0–0 inGernika and 2–0 inPalma) and achieved promotion to theSegunda División B after 18 years of absence.[53][54]
The2008–09 season was a failure, and Atlético Baleares finished bottom of the league and returned to theTercera División.[55][56] The2009–10 season started with again the aim to finish on top and achieve promotion, which it did. In theplay-off, Atlético Baleares playedCD Tudelano, champion of theNavarrese group of theTercera División, and won in theEstadi Balear (1–0). Despite losing in the return inTudela (2–1), the double value of away goals led the club to return to theSegunda División B.[57]
Upon returning to theSegunda División B in the2010–11 season, Atlético Baleares avoided relegation.[58] Another highlight of the season occurred on an institutional level, with the beginning of the club's transformation into apublic limited sports company (SAD).
On 5 May 2011, an extraordinary assembly of members approved the conversion of Atlético Baleares into aSAD by a vast majority, with the aim of lifting the club to theSegunda División on short term.[59][60] During the assembly, the club also announced the purchase of terrains that would accommodate a futuresports complex, a project that was never realized.[61][62] The conversion process in SAD culminated on 27 September 2012 with the first general meeting of shareholders and the election of its first board of directors.[63][64][65]
The2011–12 season was marked by the objective of obtaining promotion to theSegunda División. After an excellent year, Atlético Baleares was proclaimed champion of its group of theSegunda División B.[66] The team disputed theplay-off withCD Mirandés for direct promotion but lost the tie (1–0 inMiranda de Ebro and 1–2 inPalma) and entered thesecond round. Then, the club playedCD Lugo, which it could not overcome either (3–1 inLugo and 0–0 inPalma), amb was eliminated from the play-off.[67][68]
In2012–13, Atlético Baleares would continue to strive to reach theSegunda División, but the team played a mediocre season and barely escaped relegation, after which the directors left the club.[69]
The2013–14 season was planned very differently. The institutional crisis, the departure of the main investors, and the decline in the league table forced Atlético Baleares to reduce its objective, which was to maintain the category. However, the team played a brilliant season and almost qualified for the play-off.[70]
After the main shareholders of Atlético Baleares left the club in 2013, it entered an institutional and economic crisis that even led to its judicial intervention. The situation worsened, and in April 2014, the club entered bankruptcy proceedings.[71][72] On 5 May, the club faced a decisive shareholders meeting, in which a board of directors consisting of long-time members was elected, who saved the club from disappearing in extremis.[73]
By June 2014, the club came under the control ofIngo Volckmann, a German businessman based inMallorca, after he acquired 51% of the shareholding package.[74] Thanks to his investments, the club left the bankruptcy proceedings in October of the same year.[75] Since then, the economic stability of the club has been consistent, unlike previous times.
In2014–15 and2015–16, with the institutional crisis already resolved and the survival of the club guaranteed, Atlético Baleares finished mid-table without approaching the playoffs.[76] In the latter season, the team performed well in another competition: theCopa RFEF, in which it won the title. After beating many clubs, Atlético Baleares facedCF Rayo Majadahonda in the final and won (2–2 inMajadahonda and 1–0 inPalma), providing the club with the first absolute Spanish title in its history.[77]
The2016–17 season finished in qualification of Atlético Baleares for theplay-off for promotion to the Segunda División. In the first round, Atlético Baleares beatCD Toledo (1–1 inPalma and 1–2 inToledo), but lost in the second round toAlbacete Balompié (1–1 inPalma and 2–1 inAlbacete).[78][79] During the same season, several commemorative events of the 75th anniversary of the merger-absorption of Baleares FC and Athletic FC took place.[80] The main act was a historical exhibition inCaixaForum Palma with a collection of photographs, objects, and trophies of Atlético Baleares, as well as references to the origin of the club in 1920.[81][82]
During the2017–18 season, Atlético Baleares could not repeat the results of the previous campaign and avoided relegation on the final matchday.[83][84] The great incentive of this season was that the main rival,RCD Mallorca, had dropped down to theSegunda División B, which meant the return of thePalma derby after 38 years without league derbies.[85][86] InSon Malferit, both teams tied (0–0), and inSon Moix, RCD Mallorca won (3–2).[87][88]
In2018–19, Atlético Baleares performed better and finished on top of its group.[89] The team disputed theplay-off againstRacing de Santander, with direct promotion at stake, but lost (0–0 inEl Sardinero and 1–1 inSon Malferit) and was forced to play thesecond round.[90][91] Atlético Baleares first beatUD Melilla (0–0 inMelilla and 1–0 inPalma) and then lost the final round againstCD Mirandés (2–0 inMiranda de Ebro and 3–1 inPalma).[92][93][94][95]
The2019–20 was promising and started well again. But after matchday 28, on 11 March 2020, theRFEF suspended the competition due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, first for two weeks and then indefinitely.[96] On 6 May, the Federation confirmed the completion of the regular league and the dispute of asimplified play-off phase.[97] Atlético Baleares had finished first in the regular league and played the play-off againstFC Cartagena, another group champion, in a single match with direct promotion at stake. However, the club lost (0–0 and 4–3 loss after penalties).[98] In the second round,UE Cornellà eliminated Atlético Baleares from the play-off (0–1).[99]
In 2020, theRFEF announced a restructuring of the Spanish football pyramid due to theCOVID-19 pandemic and its consequences. The clubs would be divided into new leagues in the summer of 2021 based on their classifications in the2020–21 season. The champions of theSegunda División B would achieve promotion to theSegunda División, while the other teams would be divided into two new categories: thePrimera Federación (third tier) and theSegunda Federación (fourth tier). The last-placed teams would drop down to theTercera División, now named theTercera Federación (fifth tier).
Even though the2020–21 season was designed for promotion to the Segunda División, Atlético Baleares qualified for the new third division, thePrimera Federación. During the following season, thefirst edition of the Primera Federación, the club aimed for promotion again but failed again and finished mid-table.
Besides the regular league, Atlético Baleares performed extraordinarily well in the2021–22 Copa del Rey. After beatingCD Calahorra (1–1 after penalties), Atlético Baleares beat two clubs from thePrimera División:Getafe CF (5–0) in the round of 32 andRC Celta de Vigo (2–1) in the round of 16.[100][101] Finally, the team was knocked out of the tournament in the last 16 byValencia CF (0–1). This was the furthest Atlético Baleares had ever progressed in theCopa del Rey.
The2022–23 season was planned with less budget and, therefore, a theoretically weaker team. The results worsened and led to a total of four different coaches who had led the team during the season. On the last matchday of a chaotic season, Atlético Baleares avoided relegation.[102]
In2023–24, the club announced a budget reduction again, which was reflected in the quality of the squad. Atlético Baleares experienced a tough season and was relegated to theSegunda Federación five matches before the competition's end.[103]
Parallel to the results of the first team, which were disappointing compared to those obtained during the previous decade, the fanbase of Atlético Baleares decreased, mainly due to the scarce relationship between the ownership of the club and the supporters and the lack of participation of the latter group in the operation of Atlético Baleares. This is a common consequence of transforming a football club into apublic sports limited company. These circumstances led to a gradual disaffection and lack of public in theEstadi Balear.[104][5]
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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Head coach |  Luis Blanco |
| Assistant coach | Sergio Cano |
| Fitness coach | Joan Valentí |
| Goalkeeper coach | Marc Antoni Rodríguez |
| Recuperator | Carlos Romero |
| Doctor | Gonzalo Barrantes |
| Physiotherapist | Ricardo Chisaguano |
| Physiotherapist | Albert Martín |
| Physiotherapist | Xavier Calvo |
| Kit man | Joan Torrens |
| Team delegate | Jeroni Tegla |
Source: CD Atlético Baleares[106]
Thefirst women's team of Atlético Baleares plays in thePrimera Federación, the second tier ofSpanish football. The team plays its matches atSon Malferit. Currently, Atlético Baleares is the leading Balearic women's team.
Atlético Baleares already had a women's team in 1984–85, but that team did not continue after the season. In 2018, the current section was created. Over the years, reserve teams and more youth teams have been created.[5]
Atlético Baleares has had different reserve teams throughout the years. From the 1920s to the 1950s, the club had its own reserve team. In the 1960s, the club had a collaboration withCE Sant Xavier, converting the latter team in the second team of Atlético Baleares. This club had a yellow kit, which is the reason why Atlético Baleares still often picks a yellow kit for its second kit.
Between 1990 and 2000, Atlético Baleares had its own reserve team:Atlético Baleares B, which played in regional categories.
During recent years, the club established collaborations with different Mallorcan teams from theTercera Federación, first withCE Montuïri (2011) and later withCE Santanyí (2018).[107][108] The latter club was the reserve team of Atlético Baleares until 2023–24.[109]
Atlético Baleares maintains a wide youth academy with teams of all ages, of which some are calledAtlético Baleares and someBalears FC. The latter is an entity related with and completely integrated into the structure of Atlético Baleares. Moreover, despite the high number of teams, further development of the youth academy has always been impeded by the lack of a sports complex.[5]
The Veteran Footballers of Atlético Baleares Association (Associació de Futbolistes Veterans de l'Atlètic Balears) was created on 14 May 2014.[110] The team played its first official game at theEstadi Balear against the veterans ofFC Barcelona (1–2) and played more matches ever since.
TheEstadi Balear is the home stadium of Atlético Baleares, located inPalma. It was inaugurated in 1960 and closed in 2013 because of its poor maintenance. It was reopened in 2019, has 6,000 seats, and the pitch's dimensions are 102×67 metres. The improvement works of the stadium are still in progress.
Previously, the home stadium was theTirador velodrome (1920–21),Unión-Baleares (1921–23) andSon Canals (1923–60). During the closing ofEstadi Balear, the team played inMagaluf (2013–14) andSon Malferit (2014–19).
Since 1966, the club hosts theTrofeu Nicolau Brondo, the oldest summer tournament in theBalearic Islands. Atlético Baleares has won the competition on 29 occasions.
The main rival of Atlético Baleares isRCD Mallorca, the most potent club fromPalma. The clubs meet in thePalma derby.
The rivalry stems from the 1920s when Atlético Baleares (then calledBaleares FC) was created by members of the working class of Palma, while RCD Mallorca (then calledReal Sociedad Alfonso XIII FC) was created by politically and economically powerful social sectors. Nowadays, though, both clubs are much more heterogeneous than before, but the original identity clash is still very present.[6]
The rivalry has been maintained since the 1920s despite the clubs competing in different categories for many years. From the 1960s onwards and especially since the 1980s,RCD Mallorca has often been present in thePrimera División, a competition that Atlético Baleares has never reached.
Peñas (Spanish) orpenyes (Catalan) are official supporter groups that promote the support of Atlético Baleares, keep the fanbase together, and organize social initiatives in relation to the club. Since its foundation, Atlético Baleares has always had supporter groups, which were located in different bars throughoutPalma. The most popular fan group of the club in the 20th century was Peña Pasaje, located in the homonymous bar (Carrer del Sindicat, 57), active from 1943 to 1971 when the bar shut down. Other important supporter groups were located in the Bar Avenida (in the Avingudes), Bar Vidal (Carrer d'Aragó, 89), Bar Gomila (Plaça de Pere Garau), and Bar Baleares (Carrer d'Aragó, 73). There were also fan groups established in the neighbourhoods ofSanta Catalina andEl Vivero.[8][page needed]
As of September 2024, Atlético Baleares has 2,062 members.[111]
The Fan Group Federation of Atlético Baleares (Federació de Penyes de l'Atlètic Balears, FPATB), created in 2010, is the federation that unifies most of the current fan groups of Atlético Baleares.[112][113] The organization functions completely independent from the club. Its main objectives are the following:
In short, the federation aims to promote and maintain the celebration of different club-related activities, as well as help supporters and fan group members with different needs.
As of 2024, Atlético Baleares has 16 official fan groups, of which 10 form part of the Fan Group Federation. Generally, the fan groups can be divided into three groups: those fromPalma, those fromPart Forana (the rest ofMallorca), and those from outside the island.[114][5]
The Atlético Baleares Foundation (Fundació Atlètic Balears) is a non-profit organization related with the club created in 2007. Some years before, there had been several attempts of creating a foundation related to Atlético Baleares, but this was only realized in 2007.[115] Still, the organization has been relatively inactive since its foundation. The most visible and consistent activity has been the visit to sick children in theSon Llàtzer Hospital inPalma during Christmas.[116]
In 2017, the foundation was absorbed by the club and Ingo Volckmann, the club's owner, became its president. The foundation acquired the rights over theEstadi Balear, which allowed the club to start its rebuilding.[117]
(in Catalan, Spanish, and English)39°34′10″N2°40′48″E / 39.569511°N 2.680102°E /39.569511; 2.680102
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