Unión Deportiva Lanzarote is a Spanish football team based in Arrecife, Lanzarote, in the autonomous community of Canary Islands. Founded in 1970 it plays in Tercera Federación – Group 12, holding home games at the Ciudad Deportiva de Lanzarote (sports city), a 6,000-seat stadium which is shared with CD Orientación Marítima.

Lanzarote
Full nameUnión Deportiva Lanzarote
Nickname(s)Los Conejeros
Founded1970
GroundCiudad Deportiva, Arrecife,
Canary Islands, Spain
Capacity6,000
PresidentJosé Domingo Machín
Head coachAdolfo Pérez
LeagueTercera Federación – Group 12
2023–24Tercera Federación – Group 12, 2nd of 18

History

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Unión Deportiva Lanzarote was formed in August 1970, in views to a representation outside of the island. In its beginnings the team played on picón (volcanic granules), eventually moving on to FIFA-approved artificial grass.

In its first competitive season, 1970–71, the team won the Segunda Regional Insular championship (second regional division), and for many years battled through local and Canarian leagues until making its debuts in Tercera División, in 1980; the first campaign ended with a fifth place, and it was also here the club had its first taste of the Copa del Rey – after a 0–0 home draw with neighbours UD Las Palmas, Lanzarote was ripped apart 0–5 in the second leg.

The 1998–99 season saw Lanzarote end the campaign in third position, with promotion to Segunda División B for the first time ever. It was a whistle-stop visit to the category, as the Island of Volcanoes club was relegated in the first year.

From the 2001–02 campaign onwards, the team consolidated its position in the third level. In a cup match against also-islanders CD Tenerife, local legend Maciot bagged a hat-trick in a 5–1 shock win, in front of a 5,000 home crowd. The reward for this feat was a dream clash with La Liga powerhouse Real Madrid, led by Vicente del Bosque and with the likes of Raúl González, Steve McManaman, Roberto Carlos, Luís Figo and Zinedine Zidane on board: after the favorite's early lead, part-time waiter Oscar Vladamir equalized and secured his place in local football history, but the club eventually lost it 1–3.[1]

Lanzarote continued establishing itself and, in 2002–03, finished the campaign in third place and, for the first time, competed in the play-off to reach Segunda División. President was Estanislao García, as manager José Luis Mendilibar – later of Athletic Bilbao and Real Valladolid – led the team in the cup tie against Atlético Madrid, which was only sealed for the Colchoneros (1–2) with a late José María Movilla strike.[2]

2003–04 was Lanzarote's finest season in division three, ending the campaign as champions, but once again failing to clinch promotion in the play-offs. That season also reserved a good domestic cup performance, against rising Sevilla FC: opponent manager Joaquín Caparrós refused to play on Lanzarote's artificial grass, and the game was held in Gran Canaria where over 5,000 supporters watched the Conejeros perform valiantly, only to be downed with a goal by Júlio Baptista after a cross from José Antonio Reyes.

In 2004–05's Spanish Cup, Lanzarote defeated Héctor Cúper's RCD Mallorca's 2–1,[3] followed by another downing of a top level team, Athletic Bilbao also 2–1. However, the latter stage was already contested in two legs, and the smaller side were crushed 0–6 at San Mamés, falling just one game short of the competition's quarterfinals.[4] From 2004 to 2009, in the league, the team consecutively clinched mid-table positions. In the 2018–19 season the club finished 5th in the Tercera División, Group 12, just 7 points away from the 1st place.[5]

Season to season

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Season Tier Division Place Copa del Rey
1970–71 5 2ª Reg. 1st
1971–72 5 2ª Reg. 1st
1972–73 5 2ª Reg. 1st
1973–74 4 1ª Reg. 6th
1974–75 4 1ª Reg. 3rd
1975–76 4 1ª Reg. 7th
1976–77 4 1ª Reg. 10th
1977–78 6 1ª Reg. 1st
1978–79 5 Reg. Pref. 6th
1979–80 5 Reg. Pref. 4th
1980–81 4 5th
1981–82 4 10th
1982–83 4 9th
1983–84 4 11th
1984–85 4 13th
1985–86 4 6th
1986–87 4 9th
1987–88 4 8th
1988–89 4 21st
1989–90 5 Pref. Int. 2nd
Season Tier Division Place Copa del Rey
1990–91 5 Pref. Int. 3rd
1991–92 5 Pref. Int. 3rd
1992–93 4 16th
1993–94 4 18th
1994–95 5 Pref. Int. 1st
1995–96 4 13th
1996–97 4 8th
1997–98 4 4th
1998–99 4 3rd
1999–2000 3 2ª B 17th
2000–01 4 1st
2001–02 3 2ª B 8th Round of 32
2002–03 3 2ª B 3rd
2003–04 3 2ª B 1st
2004–05 3 2ª B 13th Round of 16
2005–06 3 2ª B 11th
2006–07 3 2ª B 12th
2007–08 3 2ª B 13th
2008–09 3 2ª B 14th
2009–10 3 2ª B 20th
Season Tier Division Place Copa del Rey
2010–11 4 1st
2011–12 4 5th
2012–13 4 14th
2013–14 4 11th
2014–15 4 2nd
2015–16 4 2nd
2016–17 4 12th
2017–18 4 4th
2018–19 4 5th
2019–20 4 14th
2020–21 4 6th / 5th
2021–22 5 3ª RFEF 11th
2022–23 5 3ª Fed. 2nd
2023–24 5 3ª Fed. 2nd
2024–25 5 3ª Fed.

Current squad

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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK   ESP Marino
2 DF   ESP Ángel Gil
5 MF   COL Niche
6 DF   ESP Derwin Ortega
7 FW   ESP Jonathan Torres
8 FW   ESP Óscar Martín
9 FW   ESP Toñito
10 MF   URU Federico O'Neill
11 MF   ESP Rubén Rodríguez
12 DF   ESP Francisco Barrios
13 GK   ESP Víctor Sáinz
No. Pos. Nation Player
14 DF   ESP Adrián Calero
15 MF   ESP Oswaldo Montelongo
16 FW   ESP Maciot Dévora
17 MF   ESP Vladimir Ramos
18 DF   ESP Noé Padrón
19 MF   ESP Jotha
21 MF   ESP Ayoze Pérez
23 MF   ESP Roberto Varela
25 GK   ESP Abel González
DF   ESP Eliot Hernández

Famous players

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Note: this list includes players that have played at least 100 league games and/or have reached international status.

References

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  1. ^ "El Madrid suda sangre" [Madrid sweats blood] (PDF) (in Spanish). El Mundo Deportivo. 29 November 2001. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  2. ^ "Un golazo de Movilla baja de las nubes al Lanzarote" [Movilla wonder goal brings Lanzarote down from cloud nine] (in Spanish). El Mundo. 11 September 2002. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  3. ^ "Maciot hace realidad el gran sueño del Lanzarote" [Maciot makes Lanzarote's big dream come true] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 11 November 2004. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  4. ^ "Llorente se da un gustazo" [Llorente enjoying himself] (in Spanish). El País. 20 January 2005. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  5. ^ "Histórico Lanzarote - Tercera División G 12". www.resultados-futbol.com. Retrieved 2019-11-29.
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