FM22 Save Ideas - Spain

So you've probably experienced the frustration of loading up a game of Football Manager and not progressing past the first screen, not even sure what leagues to load nevermind what club you might take charge of. Well in this new series we're gonna have a look at some of the stories that might tempt you to start a save in FM22. If videos are more your thing you can follow along on the FM LLama Youtube Channel instead or simply scroll down for the embedded video. Thanks alot to FM Llama for sharing this create content with us 🙂

Following on from our look at 3 interesting clubs to manage in France, we’re going to be checking out some great potential saves in Spain.

1) A new European Adventure

Our first option Andalusia in Southern Spain is home to two of la liga's oldest and best supported clubs, but whilst the club bearing the city's name is basking in the glow of a mammoth hall of trophies over recent seasons, Real Betis Balompié offer FM22 players the opportunity to guide a seville-based club to continental glory.

Founded in 1908 Betis are a club with a proud history but without the silverware of their city rivals. A solitary league title and two Copa Del Reys is a meager return for a club with such a huge support but current boss Manuel Pellegrini is turning the ship around, last season’s six place finish has qualified Betis for the Europa League ready for you to take over in FM22.

Imagine european knights in front of 60,000 fans and getting to work supplementing what is already a talented squad, this is a club that has produced its own icons and paid world record transfer fees and contests one of the most passionate derbies in all of spain. A career with Betis in FM22 is an opportunity to take a club of unquestionable potential and turn them into title challenges. Could you guide Betis to their second league title? Or equal the European success of their rivals? This is a club ripe for you to build a Football Manager legacy at.

2) A top flight club with a rich community history

So Betis are a club offering you European football from the outset but maybe you fancy a bit more of a longer term challenge. Well, staying within the top flight there’s another Madrid club  that's at the heart of its community just waiting for you to take over as their manager.

Spain's capital is home to two of Europe's most prestigious clubs but whilst Real and Atletico are both clubs from the city Rayo Vallecano draw their support from the Madrid Barrio of Vieques. In this part of town the Red Sashes are adored and whilst their rivals have a global appeal, Vallecano’s significance is rooted in the club's role in the community. Rayo fans are not afraid to take on the authorities and the club is famed for promoting social causes. The fans have helped shape the identity of the club and are not shy to protest when they feel the club has lost sight of its values and led by the ultra's group Los Bukaneros Vallecano’s fans have developed a reputation for challenging fascism and fighting against the commercialism that exploits supporters. The origins of these ideals lie in Vallecano’s history as a radical left-wing neighborhood in Madrid, but it was strengthened by the story of the late Wilfred Agbonavbare the Nigerian goalkeeper played for Rayo in the 1990s when he was subjected to frequent racist abuse during games. This prompted Los Bukaneros to publish a mission statement outlining their intent to fight against discrimination in Spanish football. Rayo's association with the Nigerian keeper continued after his retirement when he was diagnosed with a terminal illness unable to afford to fly to Spain to visit their father the Bukaneros raised the funds to fly Agbonavbare’s children to the country to visit their father one last time. Los Bukaneros are active in the local community and this has transmitted to how the club operates with the playing staff helping raise money for local causes such as the elderly Rayo fan that was evicted from her home. This is a club that is intrinsic to the community it represents where fans take players on a tour of the neighborhood to introduce them to the community.

Rayo may have never won a major honour but to their fans the link between the club and the community is more important than trophies. But just imagine the satisfaction of securing a first piece of silverware for this newly promoted club. Could this be the adventure you embark on in FM22?

3) A Fallen Giant

While Vallecano offer a great challenge, you may want something different, maybe in a slightly lower division? Maybe a sleeping giant that requires your managerial skills to rebuild them to their former glories? Well spain has just such an outfit and so to our final club in the city of Karunya in Northwestern Spain, where we find Deportivo de La Coruña a club that has experienced heartbreak joy and demise and currently find themselves in Spain's third tier.

Founded in 1906 the most eventful periods in the club's history have been crammed into the last three decades first the heartbreak opportunities for smaller clubs to secure trophies in Spain are few with the behemoths from Madrid and Barcelona so difficult to depose. When an opportunity to win the league comes along it has to be taken for fear that a second chance may never materialize. In 1994 Deportivo had their opportunity topping the table going into the final round of games therefore just had to better Barcelona's result to be champions. They took on Valencia at their homeground but found them stubborn opponents with Barcelona leading in their game it looked as though Deportivo’s dream was fading with their match goalless then a lifeline late in the game they were awarded a penalty. Miroslav Djukic stepped forward but Djukic placed his kick tamely into the keeper's arms and Barcelona stole the title.

For supporters this was a painful pill to swallow but regret turned to joy in the year 2000 fate transpired that going into the final round of games Deportivo and Barcelona were once again the two clubs competing for the title,  but this time Deportivo banished the demons of 1994 by winning the game two-nil and claiming a first league title. But then there was the demise after winning the league title Deportivo won a Copa Del Rey and reached a Champions League Semi-Final but then they fell from grace. First bouncing between the top two divisions before suffering relegation to the third tier in 2020 and FM22 will see the club that were once champions of Spain spend another season in the doldrums.

But this where you enter the fray! Can you climb the leagues and restore Deportivo to the top division before building a squad once more capable of challenging for honours?