Rubi: 'This stage of the league is very important'

UD Almería head coach Joan Francesc Ferrer Sicilia 'Rubi' has underlined the significance of the upcoming run of matches as his side prepares to host FC Andorra at the UDA Stadium on Matchday 26.

The Catalan was full of praise for the visitors, identifying their clear footballing identity as one of their main strengths. 'They're a team with a very well-defined idea of play, proactive, brave and full of personality. FC Andorra don’t care about the Stadium or the minute of the match. They have many attacking resources,' he said.

Describing the current period of the season as decisive, the gaffer stressed: 'This is a very important stage of the league.'

Looking ahead to Friday’s encounter, he added: 'They're the team with the most possession in the league and we'll try to win the ball back because that is also part of our identity. But since FC Andorra have done this against every opponent, we must not get nervous. It's their style of play.'

The Vilassar de Mar native also pointed to the favourable schedule ahead: 'Playing 3 of our next 4 matches at home and building on the positive momentum, should allow us to collect many points and challenge for one of the top-2 spots. We're working hard on the players’ mindset to make the most of this first opportunity.'

Rubi emphasised the balance his team have developed: 'We've combined build-up play with attacking edge and the players are very clear about where to focus because this stretch of the season is crucial. From now on, you position yourself thinking about where you want to be later, fighting for automatic promotion, but that starts now.'

Finally, Rubi highlighted the importance of squad depth: 'It's fundamental that those coming off the bench help us maintain our level and increase the number of good minutes we produce.'

Regarding team news, Soko has been ruled out for personal reasons, while Nico Melamed and Lopy remain sidelined through injury.