In mid-May 2011, historic club Lleida was liquidated due to a €27.2 million debt.[2] Its berth was auctioned and acquired by an entrepreneur from Lleida, Sisco Pujol,[3] who created the new Lleida Esportiu, which started competing in Segunda División B;[4] the club was also scheduled to take part in the 2011–12 Copa del Rey, in place of Unió Esportiva. Emili Vicente, the last manager of the previous club, was the first manager of the new one.[5]
Esportiu played its first friendly game on 6 August 2011, with Poblade Mafumet (2–0); fifteen days later the team played its first official match, losing 1–3 at home to Reus. The cup campaign ended in the first round with a loss by the same score at Andorra. In 2013, just in their second season, Lleida played for the first time the promotion playoffs to Segunda División, as they did a year later, losing respectively to Real Jaén and Leganés; Toni Seligrat led the team in both seasons.[6][7] In 2016, their third try in four years, the team lost in the playoff final to Sevilla Atlético, after a penalty shootout.[8]
In the 2017–18 Copa del Rey, Lleida reached for the first time the round of 16 after eliminating top-level side Real Sociedad, by overcoming a disadvantage of three goals in the aggregate score in the previous round.[9] In their first appearance in the round of 16, the club was eliminated by Atlético Madrid 7–0 on aggregate.[10]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Spain
Argentina
(in Catalan)