Rubi: 'We're only thinking about beating UD Las Palmas'
The UD Almería head coach insists on taking it game by game in the final stretch of the season and calls for calm around refereeing debates
UD Almería head coach Joan Francesc Ferrer Sicilia 'Rubi' has made it clear that his side are focusing solely on their upcoming clash against UD Las Palmas as they enter the decisive stage of the league, with 3 matches remaining and promotion to the top flight still at stake.
Asked about his team’s chances of reaching automatic promotion, the gaffer refused to make calculations and reiterated his match-by-match approach. 'Right now we're only thinking about beating UD Las Palmas, which will be very complicated,' he said.
Speaking in the pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday’s clash at the UD Almería Stadium, the Catalan stressed that many things can still happen in the competition. 'I hope we do not fail and if we win the remaining 3 games, our chances will be very high,' he explained, while acknowledging that achieving a perfect run is extremely difficult for both his side and their rivals.
UD Almería are not fully in control of their destiny, as they hold the head-to-head disadvantage against Deportivo de La Coruña, with both teams level on points. After the draw in Burgos, UD Almería dropped to 3rd place. 'Anything we can add is important. It was really hard to win there, but we came away stronger defensively,' Rubi noted, highlighting the team’s good form and spirit. 'The players are full of energy, motivation and excitement. These are the most beautiful games to play,' he added.
However, the Vilassar de Mar native also underlined the difficulty of the challenge ahead, praising the opposition. 'They're a top-team with a clear identity, good coaching work, they like to dominate possession and have great players and strong squad depth,' he said.
Rubi was also asked about the ongoing refereeing controversy following recent complaints from clubs and media statements, including discussions around decisions in matches involving Burgos CF. Rubi expressed concern about the pressure being placed on officials: 'It makes me sad to see attempts to pressure referees and put them under that kind of strain. All teams are affected by grey-area decisions, sometimes for and sometimes against.'
The gaffer added that his own team had changed their approach after earlier disagreements: 'We were wrong when we expressed disagreement in Ceuta, but since then we decided to step back and stay out of it.'
Rubi also praised referees who maintain composure under pressure, saying it gives him peace of mind. He explained one specific handball incident, arguing that referees are applying the rules as written rather than inventing interpretations and insisted that VAR decisions and interpretations are often more complex than they appear from the outside.
Finally, the UD Almería head coach called for calm and respect towards officials. 'Let’s leave referees alone; they already carry a huge responsibility,' he said. He also highlighted the strong season being produced across the league by teams such as Racing de Santander, Deportivo de La Coruña, SD Eibar, UD Las Palmas, Málaga CF and CD Castellón, concluding that this is what should be given prominence.