Bittersweet Centenary for Carlos Abad at Hércules

Hércules' goalkeeper and captain, Carlos Abad, will reach a milestone of one hundred official matches with the Alicante team this Sunday against Algeciras, though with the bitter taste of having squandered the chance to play in the promotion playoffs. The 29-year-old Canary Islander joined the club three seasons ago from Atlético Baleares, where he had little prominence.

Since joining, Abad has become one of the team's most important players. In his first season, he played 32 matches, followed by 34 in the second, and in the current season, already in the Primera Federación, he has competed in 33 matches with three games remaining.

The goalkeeper was a key figure in Hércules' promotion to the Primera Federación last season and has been one of the standout players for the Alicante team this term.

The Canary Islander is still far from the 225 matches played by Ismael Falcón, the goalkeeper with the most official appearances in the club's history, or the over one hundred matches of other club legends like Falagán, Calatayud, Cosme, Espinosa, or Humberto Núñez.

Carlos Abad's contract ends on June 30, although the club has been negotiating his continuity for the coming seasons. A couple of weeks ago, coach Rubén Torrecilla stated that the agreement with the goalkeeper was practically closed, pending the signature. The three-year renewal is not yet official, and the club wants it to be one of the first announcements alongside Javi Moreno's, another key player who also has numerous suitors.

Hércules prepares for Sunday's clash against Algeciras, more concerned about the infirmary than ever, as there are six confirmed absences and several players nursing injuries. The confirmed absentees are the injured Josema, Yanis, and Richie, and the suspended Alvarito, Mangada, and Artiles. Additionally, the participation of full-back Samu Vázquez and Oriol Soldevila is uncertain due to muscle discomfort. The former was left out last match, and the latter only played in the final minutes as he was not fit for more.

Torrecilla will have to rely on the youth academy to complete the squad, and it is expected that in these last three matches, young players from the reserve and youth teams, who have been training with the first team all season, will make their debuts.