UD Almería have begun preparations for what promises to be a fierce 'head-to-head battle' in the promotion play-offs to the top flight. The Rojiblancos travel to Castellón on Saturday for the first leg of their semi-final clash against CD Castellón, with kick-off scheduled for 9pm (Spanish Time).

After Monday's recovery session following their victory over Real Valladolid on the final fixture of the regular season and a rest day on Tuesday, the squad returned to work on Wednesday.

Training took place behind closed doors at the UD Almería Stadium as the coaching staff started fine-tuning the game plan and tactical approach they intend to implement in Castellón in an effort to overcome their opponents.

Despite the tie being played over two legs, the Indálicos have no intention of playing cautiously. Having finished 3rd in the standings, UD Almería hold the advantage of hosting the return leg and would progress in the event of an aggregate draw without the need for extra time or penalties. Even so, the Andalusian side will head to the Castalia stadium determined to achieve the best possible result while remaining faithful to their footballing philosophy.

That mindset was underlined by left-back Álex Muñoz, who stated during his press conference: 'I'd rather be eliminated giving 110% than by hesitating.'

There is no doubt that the tie will be demanding and highly competitive and therefore, the Rojiblancos are preparing for the challenge, especially considering there will be only a 3-day gap between the first and second legs.

The squad still has two more training sessions scheduled, both at the Stadium and behind closed doors. On Saturday, the day of the match, the team will head to Castellón on a charter flight.