Sudeva Becomes 1st Indian Football Club to Expand Operations to Europe

New Delhi, May 25 (PTI) Delhi-based Sudeva Football Club, a second division club in the I-League, has bought C.D Olimpic de Xativa, a third division club in the Spanish League.

Situated in Xativa, 25 minutes from the city of Valencia, the club has a 1st team, a reserve team, three U-19, two U-16 and multiple U-15 teams and the move will now offer Indian players an established platform and gateway to Spanish football.

Sudeva's plan is to ensure that a minimum of 35-40 matches is played by each player, irrespective of which team he represents, in the course of a single season.

For Indian and Spanish coaches, as well as other international talent, it will offer plenty of opportunity to work together in a professional, structured environment through workshops and training camps.

Deportivo Olimpic -- later renamed C.D Olímpic de Xàtiva -- was founded in 1932 and remained a dominant force in the third level, successively finishing in the top five and reaching the Segunda Division promotion play-offs three times.

After a brief lull the club played in the third-tier in 1987-88 under the guidance of notable manager Benito Floro.

Apart from coaching Sporting de Gijon, Villareal CF and many other clubs in the Valencia region, Floro has the honour of leading Real Madrid to a Copa Del Rey in 1991-92.

At the end of the 2010–11 season, after three unsuccessful attempts in the playoffs, C.D Olímpic de Xàtiva returned to Segunda B division after an absence of 20 years.

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