Rubi previews atypical match in Ceuta: 'A wild card for both teams'
The UD Almería head coach reflects on the suspended Matchday 13 fixture and new challenges ahead
UD Almería head coach Rubi has addressed the unique circumstances surrounding his side’s return to Ceuta for the second half of their suspended match. The encounter was initially halted following the tragic sudden death of a Ceutí spectator at the Alfonso Murube stadium.
In his pre-match comments, Rubi expressed his continued support for the family of the deceased: 'It was a very sad situation and I want once again to show my support for the family. I hope they can get over soon, although it’ll be obviously tough.' Reflecting on the unusual nature of the game, Rubi added: 'It’s an unusual situation and I reckon we’re all new to it. I experienced something similar many years ago, but we played very few minutes. Now we have an entire second half to play and with the option to make 5 substitutions across 3 windows, it's going to be a wild card for both teams.'
With the score at 0-0 at half-time when the match was suspended, the second half represents a fresh start for both teams, each with different recent fortunes. UD Almería head into the game on the rise, while AD Ceuta FC have been struggling with back-to-back defeats. Rubi acknowledged AD Ceuta FC 's fighting spirit: 'I continue to admire the way our opponents play. It’s true they lost to CD Leganés and Dépor but they did many things well in both matches. AD Ceuta FC created a lot of chances at the beginning. We played on Matchday 13 and we’re very aware of that.'
On the challenge of the second half, the gaffer emphasised the need for tactical precision and quick decision-making: 'Any mistake will be costly so we’ll have to be quick if we need to make tactical changes.'
The Catalan also underlined that UD Almería cannot afford to take their recent success for granted: 'We're highly motivated and confident because of our recent form, but we also have the humility to know that if we drop our level even slightly, we will pay the price and we can't afford to do that.'
Top-spot at stake for UD Almería
Looking ahead to the match's potential implications, Rubi acknowledged that the result could have significant effects on the league standings. A victory for UD Almería would see them claim sole possession of first place, though the head coach was careful to downplay its importance at this stage of the season: 'It’s somewhat of an afterthought at this stage, although we'd love to see our fans on Saturday celebrating we're league leaders.'
A draw would leave UD Almería in second place, level on points with the current pacesetters, while a defeat would see them fall one point behind Deportivo La Coruña, Racing Santander and UD Las Palmas. However, Rubi remained optimistic about his team's prospects: 'We have a good haul given our current form.'
With everything to play for, Rubi’s side will be aiming to take full advantage of the unusual circumstances as they chase top-spot at the Alfonso Murube stadium.