Fortress in the making: Rubi reinforces UD Almería's defence from the ground up

UD Almería are laying the first bricks of their 2025 project with a clear message: everything starts at the back. In Marbella, where pre-season intensity is already hitting full stride, head coach Rubi is orchestrating a defensive revolution built on discipline, coordination, and collective responsibility.

6 of the Club’s eight summer signings have bolstered the back line, a telling indication of the lessons learned from last season’s vulnerabilities. Now, with a reinforced squad and renewed focus, UD Almería are treating defensive solidity as the bedrock of their ambitions.

From double training sessions to tactical walkthroughs with 360-degree video analysis, the entire squad is immersed in a culture of high-alert defending.

Rubi is determined to plug every leak—not through individual heroics, but by constructing an airtight collective block. 'See, no one can get in like that,' he yells during one session. 'That little step forward makes the difference. Close it there, forget about the other guy! I like that, that’s perfect,' he continued.

The drills are relentless and detailed. Positional awareness, support play, anticipation and automatisms are being drilled into muscle memory. Every player has a role, every movement matters. It is a full-team commitment to security, with the outside players working like elastic bands up and down the flanks, while midfielders forge vital connections with centre-backs.

There is no room for passengers. Watching the game unfold is forbidden; reacting in real time is the rule. Rubi is dissecting defensive failures with surgical precision, breaking the chain of errors before they begin. His message is clear: mistakes at the back are a luxury UD Almería can no longer afford.

Andrés Fernández, one of the Club’s new arrivals, is already vocal and well integrated. The communication between lines is growing stronger by the day, a necessary bond in the modern game. As Rubi’s voice echoes through the Westin La Quinta resort, it is evident this is more than pre-season fitness, it is the construction of a fortress.

With chaos the goal in the opponents' box, order must first reign at home. For Rubi and UD Almería, true attacking freedom begins with defensive certainty.