Hard-working Almería have new friendly game on the horizon
René and Juan Ibiza join the squad in Marbella. The Rojiblancos play on Saturday, at 10 a.m., against newly-relegated RCD Espanyol de Barcelona
Marbella is a hive of activity at the moment and Almería began their third pre-season training day in the city located in Costa del Sol, where the players are working intensely with the intention of reaching the start of LaLiga SmartBank league in good shape. The Rojiblancos’ opening game is going to take place on 26th or 27th September in Lugo (Galicia).
This Thursday, the squad took to the pitch for a double training session. The players worked out at the gym in the morning, whereas they swapped place in the afternoon and headed to one of the training grounds at Marbella Football Center where José Gomes continues to give out instructions and transmit tactical drills and game strategies that he wants his players to focus on and put into practice during the next friendly match. Espanyol de Barcelona are travelling to Marbella so as to take on Almeria on Saturday, 5th September at 10 a.m. at the aforementioned Marbella Football Center.
It has been decided to set the clash in the morning because the Catalan opponents will return to Barcelona after the final whistle bringing their team’s get-together to an end, and also because Almería are planning to play another friendly in the afternoon, which is still to be confirmed. A team from Segunda B -third tier of Spanish football- are meant to face Almeria, yet the sides in this football division do not follow the same strict health protocol of LaLiga clubs (top-flight and second-tier) and therefore, it is rather difficult to organise this type of matches.
The highlight of today’s practice was René and Juan Ibiza joining the rest of the team’s pre-season get-together. Both of them had to stay in Almería in order to sort out some personal matters related to their future careers, but as this is taking some time, it has been determined to allow them to travel with the rest of the side; the Cadiz-born goalkeeper arrived in Marbella on Wednesday afternoon while the 25-year-old centre-back on did so on Thursday evening.