UD Almería returned to training with an unusual afternoon session, starting at 2 pm, following their progression to the next round of the Copa del Rey. Their focus has now shifted to a demanding Matchday 12 fixture, with the Rojiblancos travelling to face third-placed SD Eibar at the Ipurúa stadium on Saturday.

The squad arrived back in the city in the early hours of the morning after making the journey from Villanueva de Castellón, which involved just over 4 hours on the road. The original plan had been to hold an afternoon training session at 5 pm. However, with other activities taking place at the Anexo base and the Stadium unavailable due to the ongoing replacement of the turf, the only alternatives were to reduce the players' recovery time or train around lunchtime. The latter option was therefore chosen.

The players who started Tuesday's Spanish Cup match against UD  Castellonense remained inside the UD Almería Stadium, working on recovery in both the indoor warm-up area and the gym. This was particularly important given that several of them had played the full 120 minutes, including extra time.

The rest of the squad completed a more intensive session on the Anexo pitch. Chirino worked separately from the group, while Mikel Vesga joined his team-mates for training. Both players are continuing to deal with ankle problems, meaning their availability for the trip to take on SD Eibar remains uncertain. Nico Melamed and Rodrigo Ely, meanwhile, have already been ruled out.

UD Almería will lock horns against rivals who made an impressive start to the campaign but has seen their momentum slow in recent weeks. After recording 7 consecutive victories, SD Eibar have managed just one point from their last three matches. However, two of those fixtures were away from home, against Real Oviedo and Córdoba CF.

The Basque side did not feature in the Copa del Rey this week, as Wednesday's round of fixtures was postponed following the tragic railway accident in Toledo. They will therefore be looking to get back on track against Almería.

The Ipurúa stadium has historically been a difficult venue for the Rojiblancos, who will be determined to turn the tide and change that record on Saturday.