10 years since Ingo Volckmann joined CD Atlético Baleares
In June 2014, his arrival at the Balearic team as president and owner was finalized
In June 2014, his arrival at the Balearic team as president and owner was finalized. After 10 seasons at the club, it’s time to reflect on Ingo’s trajectory as president and owner of the blanquiazul entity. The German businessman took office two months after the club entered bankruptcy proceedings.
Initial Actions and Recovery
The situation was far from easy, as Atlético Baleares had been forced to leave its home, the Estadio Balear, a year prior. After a season at the municipal stadium in Magaluf, one of Ingo’s first actions was to move the team to the Son Malferit field. In the first months, the new ownership managed to revive the youth academy, exit bankruptcy, and carry out a capital increase of 3 million euros, confirming Ingo Volckmann’s strong control.
Reopening of the Estadio Balear
On September 1, 2019, during the 2nd matchday of the now-defunct Segunda División “B,” the Estadio Balear was reopened after a complete renovation. The match ended with a 1-0 victory for Baleares against UD Las Palmas’ reserve team.
Sporting Results
In terms of sporting results, Ingo’s era is historic for accumulating 10 consecutive seasons at the third tier of Spanish football (7 seasons in Segunda B and 3 in Primera RFEF), playing three promotion playoffs to Segunda División and winning their group in 2019 and 2020. This feat had never been achieved in the club’s history.
Promotion Playoffs
- 2015/16: The team defeated CD Toledo in the first round but fell to Albacete in the next phase.
- 2018/19: Atlético Baleares finished first in their group and played the champions’ playoff against Racing de Santander. The double value of away goals left the team without promotion.
- 2019/20: The team had another chance for promotion, but again the double value of away goals decided the tie against Mirandés.
- 2020: Atlético Baleares narrowly missed promotion, losing to Cartagena on penalties in a simplified playoff due to the COVID pandemic.
Copa Federación and Copa del Rey Participations
Additionally, the team achieved three participations in the Copa Federación, winning the title in 2016. They also had six appearances in the Copa del Rey, notably reaching the round of 16 in the 2021/22 campaign, eliminating top-flight clubs like Celta and Getafe.
Women’s Football
In the 2023/24 season, the club’s first women’s team became the best in the Balearic Islands after securing promotion to the Primera Federación by defeating Tenerife Sur in the playoff. The women’s section was founded in 2018, and since then, the club has achieved three promotions in six seasons, reaching the second tier of Spanish women’s football. Additionally, the club has three other teams: the women’s “B” team playing in the 3rd federation, the C team in the regional women’s league, and the recently created D team, aimed at developing players to eventually compete in the first team.
Youth Football
Regarding youth football, the most prominent team is the Juvenil “A.” This season, they secured promotion to the División de Honor juvenil and will compete against the best clubs in the country for the third time in their history. Since the 2016/17 season, the youth teams have won 37 championships. The club currently has 16 youth teams.
Impact on the First Team
Since Ingo’s arrival, 17 players have debuted with Atlético Baleares from the youth academy. Additionally, the club provides an average of 5 players for the Balearic selection to compete in regional championships. Ten players have made the jump to a first or second division academy, such as Pedro Ortiz, who was transferred to Sevilla FC for €150,000.
In summary, the German ownership has completely transformed the Balearic club. The team and fans have been brought back to their home, the Estadio Balear. Several promotion playoffs have been played, titles have been won, and history has been made in the Copa del Rey with the first team. The women’s team, created in 2018, has achieved promotion to the second tier of Spanish football. Lastly, the youth academy has been revived, with the Juvenil “A” in the top category, División de Honor.
