Antonio Puertas: 'I expect UD Almería to be on it from the get go'
The former Rojiblanco, who now plays for SD Eibar, previews on UDA Radio this Sunday's game in his homeland. 'I'll always want the best for my homeland Club'
Former UD Almería player and current SD Eibar footballer Antonio Puertas has previewed Sunday's home match between both teams. The striker, who played for the UD Almería youth ranks until reaching the first team, is one of the recent additions to the 'armero' team. Regarding his first impressions upon his arrival, he pointed out: 'It's a calm club, the day-to-day life is very good. It gives me a lot of stability, they're very friendly people. I see that they have things clear and that they know what they can aspire to.'
'It's true that given the fact that they have been on the verge of promotion for three consecutive years, I thought that the team could be mentally affected, but that isn't the case. In addition, new players have come who bring fresh air,' he added.
The attacker, a native of Benahadux, confessed that his homeland is very important to him: 'My bond with Almería is very strong, it's my home, where my family and friends are. Whenever I have days off, the first thing I do is go there because it's where I feel comfortable.'
In terms of football, Mr Puertas considers that the Rojiblancos are one of the strongest teams this 2024/25 season in the second tier of Spanish football, recognising its great competitiveness: 'UD Almería have more than enough squad for the second division, player by player is one of the best for sure. It's true that this does not mean that you're going to get automatic promotion or that it's going to be easy because it's a difficult division with many teams fighting for the same objective of promotion to the top flight.'
The interviewee feels that the hosts are going to make things very difficult for SD Eibar due to the situation they're going through: 'I expect UD Almería to be on it from the get go, who aren't going to want another home game to slip away. They're going to go with the knife between their teeth.'
It will not be the first time that the man from Almería visits his homeland wearing another shirt since he has done so with Granada CF. On this point, he was honest saying: 'Sometimes I hear one whistle or another. I reckon there are people who didn't fully understand my departure, but I appreciate the affection I feel when I get around the city. It's the team from my homeland, in which I was extremely comfortable. I was happy and I'll always want the best for them.'