'Sunday's match against Real Valladolid is vital because a win would secure third place in the table and that position brings a slight advantage in the play-offs.' Those were the words of Rubi during his pre-match press conference ahead of the final fixture of the regular season. He explained: 'The second legs are played at home, if the tie is level on aggregate you go through, and if you reach the final round you get an extra day of rest. Finishing third is very important.'

The UD Almería head coach pointed out that 'we fought until the end for automatic promotion, although it wasn't to be. We couldn't maintain the pace in the final stretch, but now we have another path to achieve promotion and we have to make the most of it.' He believes taking part in the play-offs 'shouldn't be seen as a drama; quite the opposite. We have to enjoy them and stay united because of what's at stake.'

The Catalan was referring particularly to the atmosphere around the club, because inside the dressing room, as he emphasised, 'the mood is very positive and we're fully focused on securing third place.' He even went a step further, stating that 'we are convinced we can achieve our objective,' which is promotion to the top flight. Furthermore, he added: 'I don't think anyone wants to face us in the play-offs.'

Before that, however, everything depends on beating Real Valladolid. 'They won't give us anything for free, and if we start the game tense or blocked, they can take advantage of it. My obsession is making sure the players feel free and confident, and that we all push from the very beginning. We have to support the team through the good times and the bad.'

The Vilassar de Mar native also reflected: 'We cannot doubt the players or the coaching staff. Everyone is fully committed. Perhaps we're thinking we're better than we actually are, when there are other teams with undeniable quality in a very competitive and evenly matched league. We have a very good squad, but like everyone else, we have our weaknesses and make mistakes.'

He admitted that he still has 'a thorn in my side' regarding the team's defensive performances, with too many goals still being conceded. 'We haven't corrected certain aspects we've been working on since August, but we continue to focus on them. I'm confident we can improve, and I also believe we'll start scoring more freely again, as we did before, when our attacking play was deserving of top marks.'

Rubi's message is one of confidence as he calls on the supporters to back UD Almería during this new phase of the campaign, which also offers a route to promotion to LaLiga. As he concluded: 'The players believe.'