What happened on July 8?

Cádiz Club de Fútbol kicked off its 2026‑27 preseason on Wednesday, July 8, at the Ciudad Deportiva de El Rosal in Puerto Real. After two days of medical examinations, manager Imanol Idiakez gathered 26 first‑team players and nine academy prospects for the first training session under the Andalusian sun.

Who took part?

The squad featured veterans such as David Gil, Fernando Pérez, Mario Climent, Sergio Arribas, Iker Recio, Juan Díaz, Moussa Diakité, Suso, Yussi Diarra, José Antonio De la Rosa, Joaquín González, Álvaro García Pascual, Bojan Kovacevic, Efe Aghama, Borja Vázquez, Jerónimo Dómina, Javier Ontiveros, Rominigue Kouamé, Víctor Aznar and Iuri Tabatadze. New signings Beñat de Jesús, Kenan Toibibou, Vladys Kopotun, Ibon Sánchez and Jokin Ezkieta also trained with the first team, while Javi Castro is expected to join shortly.

Academy players Rubén Domínguez, Rubén Rubio, Noah Obioma, Roberto Rosado, Pablo Arana, Ismael Álvarez, Ngono, Álex Beltrán and Manu Rivera were also on the pitch, highlighting the club’s focus on home‑grown talent.

What is the manager’s aim?

Imanol Idiakez explained that the goal is to arrive at the start of the competition in top physical and tactical shape. With a large group, he aims to fine‑tune chemistry between regular starters and newcomers, while giving minutes to the youngsters so they adapt to first‑team intensity. The first test will be the friendly on July 15 against Barbate CF in Benalup‑Casa Viejas, part of the XII Memorial Diego Fernández, a summer tradition for the yellow side.

What’s the upcoming schedule?

The preseason calendar includes the July 15 friendly and several preparation matches before the league debut slated for mid‑August. The first official fixture will be at home against Celta Fortuna, newly promoted to the Segunda División, and the manager hopes to start the campaign with a win that boosts confidence.

What does this mean for the season?

Starting preseason with a full squad and integrating youth prospects suggests Cádiz Club de Fútbol aims to compete near the top of the table. The blend of experience and youthful energy could be the formula to challenge for playoff spots in the second tier. Each training session will be an opportunity to sharpen tactics and decide the starting eleven that will lead the club through the 2026‑27 season.