Rubi: 'We’re excited about advancing to the next round but it’s going to be tough'
The UD Almería head coach expects a challenging Spanish Cup second-round tie against third-tier side CD Eldense away from home
UD Almería head coach Rubi is preparing for a difficult Spanish Cup second-round match against third-tier CD Eldense this Wednesday (KO 8pm CET). He acknowledges the challenge posed by their opponents’ bold playing style and the fact that the match will be held at CD Eldense’s home stadium with their fans in attendance.
CD Eldense, who were competing in LaLiga Hypermotion last season, have set their sights on returning to professional football. The team previously defeated UD Almería in their home stadium in Elda, which only adds to the difficulty of the upcoming encounter.
'It’s going to be very difficult,' the head coach said when commenting on CD Eldense’s strengths and motivation to upset higher-division opponents.
Rubi has full respect for the strength of CD Eldense’s squad, which blends experience with youthful talent: 'CD Eldense have built a squad to return to professional football and have a mix of experience and youth. They have top-class, well-known players like Fidel, Manu Molina, Robert Ibáñez, Dioni… they are good footballers.'
The Catalan also pointed out their aggressive playing style, with a focus on building from the back and having game-changing players in midfield and attack. 'Their style of football is bold. They play out from the back and have game-changing players in midfield and attack. Besides that, the match is going to be played at their stadium, in front of their fans and they'll be motivated to eliminate higher-division opponents. As I said before, it’s going to be very difficult,' Rubi added.
Despite the challenges, Rubi remains hopeful of advancing to the next round: 'We're approaching the match with the hope of advancing to the next round, which is our objective. Any achievement for UD Almería is significant.'
Reflecting on last year’s exciting Cup run, the Vilassar de Mar native recalled their memorable tie against Sevilla FC, which took place on the eve of ‘The Three Kings’ Day'. 'Last season, we experienced a fantastic tie at home against Sevilla FC on the eve of the 'Three Kings' Day. It was a gift for our fans and then we came close to beating CD Leganés as well. The journey was worthwhile,' he reminisced.
Rubi also stressed the importance of this match for players with limited league appearances.' There are players with fewer minutes clocked up in the league for whom these must-win matches are vital,' he concluded.