Since September 15 last year, none of Sports Club Manchego Ciudad Real cobra. The company owes salaries and bonuses agreed upon for the players, coaching staff and other employees. “This creates uncertainty and anxiety, especially at the moment we find ourselves in,” read a statement released by CD Manchego’s first team through the AFE (Spanish Footballers’ Association).

So far the situation, considering its seriousness, is not strange. Non-payments are a constant phenomenon in football, and even more so in categories such as the Second Federation, where CD Manchego plays.

Deviations from the usual come with a cry for help. John Ariscoach of the Manchego team and former footballer of Osasuna, Cadiz, Malaga and Oviedo, among others, who recently arrived in Ciudad Real this season: “I met with the president (Juan José Bedoya) and the sports director (Matias Di Gregorio) to propose solutions. Matthias and I are trying to help find those people who can lend a helping hand while the President deals with his economic problems, which I believe will solve them. I hope as soon as possible, but we have to lend a helping hand and we are working on this,” Erice said at a press conference after the Manchego-Cartagena B match with a score of 1:0.

Erice, whose connection with the club and city dates back just six months, said his non-sporting role involves “keeping in touch”. Bring money to CD Manchego so that “the people who help us get paid quickly and can have the income they need for their daily lives.”

He who was part of that historic Osasuna side that beat Bayer Leverkusen 0-3 in the 2006/07 UEFA Cup has increased his concern for Manchego’s non-footballer staff as the players have a guarantee of payment AFE. “It was not a speech, I said what I clearly feel. That’s all I can do to collaborate,” explains John Aris in a conversation with Independent.

CD Manchego Project

Juan Jose Bedoyaowner and president of Manchego, arrived in Ciudad Real in July 2021. “He saved Manchego from extinction. He took on a debt of about 170,000 euros and proposed a very ambitious project to join Manchego to the First Federation in two years,” they point out. Sources in the club told the newspaper about this.

When John Aris arrived, there was even talk of building a stadium owned by the club, so as not to be dependent on the city council of Ciudad Real, owner of the King Juan Carlos I Stadium, where Manchego’s own team plays its home games.

The wave of Manchego euphoria swept through players such as Oscar Trejo, captain of Rayo Vallecano, or former footballer Emiliano Armenteros, who spent most of his career in the top tier of Spanish football. “Trejo and Armenteros are friends of Matias, and they were invited to draw attention to the club and attract investors. They were announced as shareholders of the club, but I think this did not happen and they just wanted to entice them as future investors. and increase the summoning effect. It was a good idea, but it didn’t work,” say sources close to Manchego.

The 22/23 season ended with promotion to the 2nd Federation, and this success contributed to Manchego’s ambitions. The mood in Ciudad Real is completely different now. The club’s staff have not been paid since September and the atmosphere of trust and growth in the first two years under Bedoya is shaking.

I have encountered situations of non-payment in clubs. The bankruptcy proceedings of Cadiz found me playing there, but this has nothing to do with it, because it is a club with a very important social mass. “I have no idea about the club’s accounts. It’s strange that there is no money in September because these things usually happen at the end of the season, but I have no idea about the numbers,” says Erice, who has faced such situations. of all colors in football.”

Erice was part of the Cadiz team when the historic club declared bankruptcy in 2010: “It has nothing to do with it, because it is a club with a very important social mass. My experience in these matters tells me that when something like this happens, the city’s residents, businessmen, large companies and multinational corporations based in the area are the ones who can help. they generate interest,” explains the trainer and “Robin Hood” of Manchego.

Bedoya’s debt to the Treasury

Malegueño businessman Juan José Bedoya Santana “came, rescued Manchego and put it on display to reach very important categories,” explains Ciudad Real.

According to sources, Bedoya’s performance contracts are very good for this category. “They pay well for this. There are football players who did not go to the First Federation because of the conditions they have here. That’s why it also surprised all of us because in a very short time everything changed. The feeling is that in the end, no one knows the truth or the history of Bedoya,” they report from the surrounding area of ​​CD Manchego.

The same sources who now doubt Bedoya praise his work and his relationship with the people of the club: “Everyone in Ciudad Real football is very grateful, despite what is happening now. Without him, CD Manchego would have disappeared and would have been able to pay off the debt and give the team the opportunity to compete again.

The people of Manchego believe that Bedoya “was sincere and always showed his face.” When non-payments began, “he said he had a small problem with the treasury, which they were going to solve shortly. If everything goes well, you don’t suddenly run out of money. It is believed that he may have money.” tired of investing in the club or that a treasury problem has blocked it.”

How it was tested Independent According to Insight View, Juan José Bedoya Santana is listed as the administrator of three companies: GESTION DE ESTABLACMENTOS ALIMENTICIOS SL, MANANTIALES SOLIDARIOS DE AGUA MINERAL SL and RES NB 201417 SL.

Bedoya’s RES NB 201417 SL took over management of the club in 2021 and, according to Insight View, has a legal incident over a tax debt notified by the Ministry of Finance in January 2023, so it will not be resolved yet. the debt will not be able to allocate resources to satisfy the remaining creditors.

At the end of January, CD Manchego will receive €29,750 from the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), as they are the Second Federation team that plays the first leg of the Copa del Rey at home. In addition, as the organization reported on its social networks, the remaining amounts subsidized by the RFEF (after justification by the clubs) for the various assistance concepts corresponding to CD Manchego amount to 123,000 euros, which amounts to four times during the season. . CD Manchego therefore has €152,750 in subsidies from the pending RFEF collection.

“People thank Bedoya for what he did for CD Manchego, and today they continue to trust him. Bedoya was sincere from the first moment, but he cannot move a single euro. Perhaps the solution is for someone to come and buy the club and take it over. take responsibility for the situation, because if employees have to wait for you to pay off their debts and then get your money…”, they complain in Ciudad Real.

While Bedoya’s economic situation becomes clearer, Erice clings to his players and fans, although he acknowledges that for a sports project to be sustainable, it must be linked to economic stability.

“I was very lucky. I don’t know if it’s because of the teamwork of the coaching staff and the players or because they have that kind of character and that kind of desire. We didn’t have any problems in our daily lives.” and this is strange. I have been in other sensitive situations in the locker rooms and these things have come to light over time. Here there were no conflicts in the sports section and this makes my life easier as a coach. I am very proud of the group,” concludes Erice, who emphasizes that he still trusts Bedoya and that he will do whatever he wants. in his hands “to bring that support which will save the people of Manchego.”