The 2023 season is the third season of the Barcelona Dragons franchise in the European League of Football. After winning the Southern Conference championship in 2022, they now play in the new Western Conference.
Preseason Dragons' Offseason has been strongly marked by the departure of head coach Andrew Weidinger to Rhein Fire as well as the departures of key contributors Kyle Sweet (WR) and Zach Edwards (QB) to Paris Musketeers, and Alejandro Fernandez (DE) to Rhein Fire. As a result, the franchise decided to promote defensive coordinator of the 2022 season, Gabriel "Black" Sánchez, to the head coach position.
Another important event this Offseason has been the announcement of a new venue for the 2023 season. After two years playing in Reus (Tarragona), the franchise decides to move closer to Barcelona Metropolitan area in an attempt to secure the financial viability of the franchise. On the 10th of March, the franchise announces the "Estadi Olimpic de Terrassa" as their new venue for the 2023 season.
Regular season Standings
Schedule WeekDateTime (CET)OpponentResultRecordVenueAttendanceTVRecap 1Sat, June 319:00Helvetic GuardsW 29 – 171 – 0Estadi Olímpic de Terrassa1,42812Sat, June 1019:00@ Milano SeamenW 41 – 332 – 0Velodromo Vigorelli1,700More Than Sports TV23Sat, June 1718:00@ Raiders TirolL 13 – 292 – 1Tivoli Stadion Tirol4,28534Sat, June 2419:00Munich RavensL 15 – 392 – 2Estadi Olímpic de Terrassa1,128Ran.de45bye6Sun, July 913:00@ Helvetic GuardsL 19 – 222 – 3Lidl Arena1,75057Sat, July 1519:00Raiders TirolL 3 – 172 – 4Estadi Olímpic de Terrassa1,158Ran.de68Sun, July 2313:00@ Stuttgart SurgeL 14 – 332 – 5Gazi-Stadion auf der Waldau4,1747 Maxx79Sat, July 2919:00Paris MusketeersL 6 – 372 – 6Estadi Olímpic de Terrassa1,543810bye11Sat, August 1219:00Milano SeamenL 28 – 332 – 7Estadi Olímpic de Terrassa711More Than Sports TV912Sat, August 1919:00Stuttgart SurgeL 22 – 312 – 8Estadi Olímpic de Terrassa5161013Sat, August 2617:00@ Paris MusketeersL 9 – 502 – 9Stade Jean-Bouin3,8001114Sun, September 313:00@ Munich RavensL 0 – 552 – 10Sportpark Unterhaching5,20412 Source: europeanleague.football
Attendance
Roster
Staff
Awards ELF All Stars Awards PlayerPositionAward Luke Glenna S All Stars 1st Team
ELF Honors 2023. Nominees PlayerPositionAward Luke Glenna S Defensive Player of the year
MVP of the Week WeekPlayerPositionTeamStat2 Conor Miller QB Barcelona Dragons 29/42, 69,05%, 394 yds, 4 TD, 0 Int, QBR 130,50
ELF Stats Leaders. Regular Season PlayerPositionStatValue Luke Glenna S Total tackles 137 Luke Glenna S Solo tackles 79
ELF TOP100 List PlayerPositionRank Luke Glenna S #60 Theodor Landstrom WR #68 Lautaro Frecha S #97
Statistics
Team Leaders. Regular Season
Offensive
PlayerPositionStatValueELF Rk Conor Miller QB Passes Completed 220 #5 Conor Miller QB Passing yards 2482 #5 Conor Miller QB Passing TD 18 #7 Conor Miller QB QB rating 80.11 #14 Toni Monton RB Rushing Att 98 #12 Toni Monton RB Rushing yards 339 #19 Toni Monton RB Rushing TDs 3 #17 Theodor Landstrom WR Receptions 56 #14 Theodor Landstrom WR Targets 121 #3 Theodor Landstrom WR Receiving yards 805 #12 Theodor Landstrom WR Receiving TDs 8 #9
Defensive
PlayerPositionStatValueELF Rk Luke Glenna S Tackles Total 137 #1 Luke Glenna S Tackles Solo 79 #1 Luke Glenna S Tackles Ast 58 #4 Mamadou Ka DE Sacks 3.5 #27 Mamadou Ka DE Sack Yards 28 #27 Darius Slade DE TFL 8.5 #29 Darius Slade DE TFL Yards 37 #31 Luke Glenna S Forced fumbles 2 #7 Darius Slade DE Fumbles Recovered 2 #4 Luke Glenna S Interceptions 4 #5 Lautaro Frecha S Break Ups 10 #6
Returns
PlayerPositionStatValueELF Rk Andy Vera CB Punt return Yards 88 #16 Toni Monton RB Punt return Longest 27 #15 Andy Vera CB Kickoff Return Yards 333 #16 Andy Vera CB Kickoff Return Longest 42 #18 Andy Vera CB Return yards Total 421 #15
Kicking
PlayerPositionStatValueELF Rk Luis Cereceda K FG Made 4 #13 Victor Moreno K FG % 66.67 #12 Victor Moreno K FG Long 45 #11 Luis Cereceda K PAT Made 8 #14 Luis Cereceda K PAT % 72.73 #9 Victor Moreno K Kickoff Yards 943 #17 Samuel Higgins P Punt yards 2311 #4 Samuel Higgins P Punt Long 57 #12 Samuel Higgins P Punt Inside 20 14 #3 Samuel Higgins P Punt 50+ 6 #4 Samuel Higgins P Punt Avg Yards 39.84 #7
Offseason News
8 December 2023. Open Try Out is held in Badalona. Around 70 players show up.
19 November 2023. David Shelton is announced as the new head coach for the 2024 season. David has already experience in the ELF as he was DC at Leipzig Kings last season.
9 November 2023. Luke Glenna ranks #6 in the TOP50 by the webs elfcheckdown.ig and ELF NETWORK
27 October 2023. Jason Robinson, Dragons co-owner, meets with Dragons fans and replies multiple questions for over an hour.
24 October 2023. Barcelona Dragons announces the termination of the contract agreement with coach Gabriel "Black" Sanchez. Coach Black had signed a 3 years deal that new ownership terminates after 1st season.
23 October 2023. Barcelona Dragons announces a live press conference open to all fans and media for next 27 October.
15 October 2023. Trappers Cecina from Italy 2nd Division announce the signing of Bart Iaccarino as their new head coach for the 2024 season.
28 September 2023. Luke Glenna makes the 2023 ELF First Team awards by the web elfcheckdown.ig
16 September 2023. Bart Iaccarino announces in social media that he is not longer part of the Dragons organization. It is believed that he still retains a small percentage of the franchise shares though.
In-Season movements. Players Signed
2 August 2023 Alan Mark Sousa OL 🇪🇸 Camioneros Coslada (LNFA)
2 August 2023 Max Charnley-Collins OL 🇬🇧 Dresden Monarchs (GFL)
27 July 2023 Vincent McDonald WR 🇺🇸 Kuopio Steelers (MAPLE LEAGUE)
20 July 2023 Carlton Aiken Jr QB 🇺🇸 Silesia Rebels (PFL) ***
20 July 2023 Cosimo Casati RB 🇮🇹 Firenze Guelfi (IFL) ***
20 July 2023 Mario Perez LB 🇪🇸 Straubing Spiders (GFL) ***
6 July 2023 Alex Pacheco WR 🇪🇸 Terrassa Reds (LNFA)
6 July 2023 Walter Jublawy RB 🇪🇸 L'Hospitalet Pioners (LNFA)
6 July 2023 Santiago Requena DL 🇪🇸 Terrassa Reds (LNFA)
6 July 2023 Alvaro Muñoz OL 🇪🇸 Barcelona Uroloki (LNFA)
6 July 2023 Jacobo Senise WR 🇪🇸 L'Hospitalet Pioners (LNFA)
6 July 2023 Lluis Segue WR/TE 🇪🇸 Castell-Platja d'Aro Ducs (LNFA)
6 July 2023 Angel Miralles K 🇪🇸 Barcelona Pagesos (LNFA)
6 July 2023 Victor Moreno K 🇪🇸 Clarke University (NAIA)
6 July 2023 Gerard Palau LB 🇪🇸 Lliça de Vall Panthers (LNFA)
6 July 2023 Eric Figueroa DL 🇪🇸 Badalona Dracs (LNFA)
6 July 2023 Marc Novella QB 🇪🇸 Barbera Rookies (LNFA)
6 July 2023 Pablo Gomez WR 🇪🇸 L'Hospitalet Pioners (LNFA)
3 July 2023 Andy Vera CB 🇪🇸 United Westland Crusaders (MAPLE)
28 June 2023 Arthur Pinheiro DT 🇵🇹 Wroclaw Panthers
22 June 2023 Tomas Middleton OL 🇵🇦 Berlin Rebels (GFL) ***
15 June 2023 Marius Filip CB 🇷🇴 Riudoms Rebels (LNFA)
In-Season movements. Players Released
14 August 2023 Ben Dixon OL 🇬🇧
10 August 2023 Carlton Aiken Jr QB 🇺🇸
2 August 2023 Cosimo Casati RB 🇮🇹
27 July 2023 Mario Perez LB 🇪🇸
27 July 2023 Daniel Lopez DT 🇪🇸
27 July 2023 Diego Paz DE 🇪🇸
27 July 2023 Santiago Yuste OL 🇪🇸
27 July 2023 Josh Johnston WR 🇺🇸
20 July 2023 Tomas Middleton OL 🇵🇦
13 July 2023 Elias Rodriguez TE 🇪🇸
13 July 2023 Mikel Gómez OL 🇪🇸
13 July 2023 Samuel Arias RB 🇪🇸
30 June 2023 Hugo Mínguez S 🇪🇸
30 June 2023 Eduardo Pérez WR 🇪🇸
22 June 2023 Melvin Palin WR 🇫🇷
22 June 2023 Diego Varela OL 🇪🇸
15 June 2023 Ivan Garcia CB 🇪🇸
8 June 2023 Pep Tricas LS 🇪🇸
Unknown Ivan Rodriguez Hita OL 🇪🇸
Pre-Season Signings
26 May 2023. DL Benjamin Egbudiwe signs for the 2023 season. The 1,93 meter, 31-year-old from Uppsala attended City College of San Francisco and Benedictine College (NAIA). He later went on to play for the Uppsala 86ers, the Stockholm Mean Machines and the Swedish national team. He also played for the Seinäjoki Crocodiles and the Helsinki Wolverines in Finland.
26 May 2023. Barcelona Dragons announces that part ways with LB Hugo Dyrendhal.
23 May 2023. OL Jonas Hagerup signs for the 2023 season. The Norwegian import has already ELF experience after playing for Leipzig Kings in 2021 and Wroclaw Panthers in 2022.
20 May 2023. WR Josh Johnston signs for the 2023 season. The USA import comes from Colorado School of Mines Athletics (NCAA D-2) and has recently been part of Denver Broncos mini-camp (NFL).
19 May 2023. Barcelona Dragons announces that part ways with WR Austin Duke.
25 April 2023. Barcelona Dragons has released the final roster for the upcoming 2023 season. It is expected that some additions will be announced later on and before season kick off. This list is made up of 57 players.
30 March 2023. Barcelona Dragons has released a list of 67 homegrown players who will attend a Training Camp between 20 and 22 April. From this list, 21 players have already secured a slot in the final roster. The remaining 46 players will fight to earn one of the 20–25 spots still available for homegrown players.
22 March 2023. Eric Kiewski is announced as Dragons Head of scouting and game analysis for the 2023 season. The German native has held similar positions at Berlin Rebels and Villeneuve d’Ascq Vikings in the past.
17 March 2023. S Lautaro Frecha re-signs for the 2023 season.
13 March 2023. OL Diego Varela signs for the 2023 season. The 24 years old Spaniard joins Dragons from Las Rozas Black Demons where he won the Spanish Cup in 2022.
11 March 2023. DT Daniel Franco re-signs for the 2023 season.
7 March 2023. DE Rodrigo Sanz signs for the 2023 season. Rodrigo Sanz comes from Osos Rivas where he won the LNFA Serie A championship in 2022.
4 March 2023. Guillermo Mora is announced as Dragons Head of data and analytics for the 2023 season. This will be Guillermo's 2nd season with the team.
3 March 2023. DT Daniel Lopez signs for the 2023 season. The 24 years old Spaniard joins Dragons from Las Rozas Black Demons where he won the Spanish Cup in 2022. In the early stages of his career, he won 2 Junior Spanish Championships and was called up to play with Team Spain U-19.
28 February 2023. Marc Aurellano re-signs as Defensive Line Assistant coach and Defense Scout for the 2023 season. He is also part of the L'Hospitalet Pioners Dragons Academy program as a defensive coordinator.
27 February 2023. K/P Luis Cereceda re-signs for the 2023 season.
25 February 2023. RB Eduard Molina signs for the 2023 season. Eduard Molina comes from Badalona Dracs where he won the LNFA Serie A championship in 2021. He moved to Denmark for a short stint in 2021 where he reached the final of the Danish 1st Division with the Sollerod Gold Diggers.
24 February 2023. Eduardo Yagues Nuño is announced as Dragons OL Coach for the 2023 season. The 60 years old Mexican native brings 28 years of OL coaching experience with City College of San Francisco (JUCO) where he has won 9 national championships.
20 February 2023. TE Raul Cernuda signs for the 2023 season. The 26 years old Mallorca native started playing in his hometown team Mallorca Voltors and was part of the team that promoted to Spanish 1st Division in 2014. His performances didn't go unnoticed and signs for Spanish powerhouse Badalona Dracs where he wins 5 Spanish leagues, 5 Spanish Cups and league MVP honors in 2017.
17 February 2023. OL David Culebras signs for the 2023 season. Previously played for Las Rozas Black Demons of the LNFA Serie A where he won the Spanish Cup in 2022. Before that, he won the Junior Spanish Bowl and Cup in 2021 with Black Demons young teams. He has been also selected for the senior Spanish national team.
15 February 2023. Alexander Durazo is announced as Dragons Special Teams & LB Coordinator for the 2023 season. He has held multiple coaching positions in countries like Norway, Switzerland and Spain.