Manchego vs Sonseca - Tercera División RFEF - Group 18

The Tercera División RFEF - Group 18 returns to Polideportivo Juan Carlos I on May 3, 2026, where Manchego and Sonseca will lock horns in a contest that could shape their respective campaigns. Enzo Maresca verdict on Michael Carrick and Manchester United fixture issue - 'you need to adapt'.

Both camps will view the Tercera División RFEF - Group 18 meeting at Polideportivo Juan Carlos I as an opportunity to put a marker down, regardless of where they currently stand. It has been a dominant campaign for the hosts, WW over their last five and a win rate of 100% that few in the Tercera División RFEF - Group 18 can match. The visitors will travel in the hope that a change of scene can spark a turnaround, whatever the form book says. In terms of net spend, Liverpool topped the table with £219.4m, followed by Ipswich (£190.7m), Spurs (£176m) and Hull (£160.5m).

Tactically, the contest promises a fascinating contrast. Manchego will look to impose their style on home soil, while Sonseca are likely to have ideas of their own about how to gain the upper hand. Their press is quick and co-ordinated in some areas of the pitch and not others.

The fixture is likely to be shaped by its key performers, with creative midfielders and clinical finishers on both sides capable of turning the game in an instant. The battle in midfield, where both sides look to control tempo, could prove the decisive arena. City are also keen on a young striker to develop behind Erling Haaland and offer a different option and are one of the clubs keen on Eli Junior Kroupi, who Bournemouth say is not for sale.

The market has yet to form a strong view, and the contest looks genuinely difficult to call. With the sides so closely matched, a 1-1 stalemate looks the most likely way this one ends. With the standings tight and form on the line, this is a fixture neither side will want to lose. The 22-year-old was likely quite high up on the list of United's midfield targets and potentially even higher after Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga blows.