UD Almería to survive double-decker this weekend after a month without playing
Rubi's team will face two European rivals: Austrian side SK Sturm Graz (Saturday 4pm Spain Time) and Scots Heart of Midlothian FC (Sunday 12 noon Spain Time)
It has been a month since UD Almería played their last league game (Matchday 14), but the wait is now over as they will have to survive a double-decker against European sides SK Sturm Graz at the 'La Quinta' field (Marbella Football Center) on Saturday (KO 4pm Spain Time) and Heart of Midlothian FC in the town of Coín (KO 12 noon Spain Time).
SK STURM GRAZ
It is a club that competes in the Bundesliga who sits currently second in the Austrian league, behind Salzburg; the Rojiblancos' first opponents in this mid-season break have a European 'pedigree' since they played the third qualifying round of the Champions League (Dinamo Zagreb). Later, they played in the Europa League within Group 'F' (Feyenoord, Midtjylland, SS Lazio, SK Sturm Graz) where there was a four-way tie on 8 points at the end of the knockout stage, with our next rivals eliminated on goal difference. The Austrian team will go into this friendly on the back of two victories clinched in friendly tests. The Die Schwoazn thrashed Admira -9th in the Austrian first division- 0-4 and edged past Domzale from Slovenia 2-3.
The Austrians' first post-World Cup match will be played against Salzburg in the quarter-finals of the Austrian Cup.
This friendly is scheduled for Saturday, 3 December at 'La Quinta' field from the Marbella Football Center (KO 4pm CET), the same place where the Indalicos faced Espanyol de Barcelona last year.
HEART OF MIDLOTHIAN FC
Hearts are a Scottish Premiership team that occupy fifth position and have also played 2022/23 European-level matches this season, since they played in the Europa Conference League within Group 'A' facing teams with the likes of Italian Fiorentina. Heart of Midlothian FC came third during the first knockout stage. The Scots will play their second practice game against UD Almería after opening friendly with Blackburn Rovers this Friday.
This time, the UD Almería travelling squad will have to make a short trip to the Malaga-based town of Coín, where the match kicks off at 12 noon this Sunday at the D. José Burgos Quintana Sports Complex.
