Their biggest test, the match that would define their season, came on a cold Sunday afternoon against their eternal rivals, Real Madrid Castilla.
The Mini Estadi was packed to the rafters, the 12,000-strong crowd generating a cauldron of noise that felt more like a Champions League night than a third-tier league match. Promotion to the Segunda División was on the line, a prize that would elevate the team to a new level of competition and prestige.
In the dressing room before the match, the air was thick with tension. Luis Enrique's final team talk was a masterclass in motivation.
