1940 FEF President Cup


The 1940 FEF President Cup, also called Second Division Consolation Tournament or Subchampions Tournament, was a football competition held from 17 March to 5 May 1940. Organized by the Royal [Spanish Football Federation], it was conceived to be played by the second-placed teams of each of the five groups that made up the 1939–40 Segunda División, while the champions of each group qualified for the final phase that awarded the title of champion and the right to direct promotion.
The competition was played in the form of a league with each team facing their opponents twice, with a total of 20 matches played, and the winner of the tournament was CD Malacitano with 14 points, one more than runner-up Atletico Osasuna.

Participants

1940 FEF President Cup was initially intended to be contested by the second-placed teams of each of the five groups that made up that year's second division; however, Racing de Ferrol, second in Group I and therefore the represent of Galician Federation, did not participate in the competition, giving up its place to the third best-ranked team in the five groups, which turned out to be CD Malacitano of Group V, the eventual champions.
ClubsTownFederation

Final classification

On the 10th and final matchday on 5 May 1940, both Osasuna and Malacitano walked into their home stadium with the chance of winning their first-ever piece of silverware; Malacitano only needed to do better than the opponent. In the end, both teams won their respective match, with Osasuna beating Granada 3–0, while Malacitano defeated Ferroviaria 5–2, courtesy of a first-half brace from Juan Mesa and a second-half hat-trick from Tavilo.

Statistics

The top scorer of the tournament was Sabadell's César Rodríguez (footballer, [born 1920)|César], who would later become the all-time top scorer of FC Barcelona.

Top goalscorers

Post match

Club Deportivo Malacitano, which became known as Club Deportivo Málaga in 1941, went on to achieve promotion to La Liga in 1949 under the presidency of Manuel Navarro Nogueroles, and then win a Second Division title in 1951–52.