Rubi: 'We must play a complete game to beat UD Las Palmas'
The UD Almería head coach praises the Islanders’ strengths and eyes key points on the road at the Gran Canaria Stadium
UD Almería head coach Joan Francesc Ferrer Sicilia aka 'Rubi' has stressed the importance of a 'complete game' as his side prepares to face UD Las Palmas this Saturday at 9 pm (Spanish Time). The Rojiblancos, fresh off a challenging series of matches, are aiming to bounce back and string together consecutive positive results despite a grueling schedule.
In his pre-match press conference, Rubi acknowledged the quality of UD Las Palmas, describing them as a well-balanced and tough opponent: 'They have a perfect game plan in attack that is tough to counter. Defensively, they're solid and consistent, conceding the fewest goals in the second tier. They also create the fewest chances, but they make the most of what they have,' said Rubi.
'It'll be difficult to take possession from them in their own half, but we'll try, as controlling the ball is one of our key strengths,' the Catalan reflected.
Rubi confirmed that his only absentee for the match is midfielder Lopy, but he expressed confidence in his squad's ability to cope. When asked about his starting line-up, the gaffer downplayed the focus on the XI: 'There's always a lot of attention on the starters, but it's just as important to have those coming off the bench ready to make an impact.'
Despite a revamped squad and a tough early-season schedule including matches against Racing Santander, Real Valladolid CF and Sporting Gijón, Rubi remains optimistic: 'We're in a very tough period of the competition, but with just 6 Matchdays under our belt, we're confident that we'll start to build momentum and get the points we need.'