Alser BM Puerto Sagunto welcome BM Antequera with their homework done

This Friday at 20:30 (live on Nou 2), Alser will play BM Antequera with the satisfaction of having mathematically secured survival in Liga Asobal in their debut season.

It will be the penultimate chance this year to enjoy at the Ovni the city's celebration that each of Alser's home matches represents. Surely the more than 1,500 supporters who usually gather at the Ovni will once again give their all so that Alser can claim their first home victory of 2011. They have only collected draws there, albeit against very illustrious opponents.

Opposing them will be a BM Antequera side that has become one of the season's unfortunate protagonists because of its off-field problems, but which, strictly in competitive terms, has enjoyed a season worthy of applause. Its squad put its major financial difficulties behind it in the dressing-room locker and played as they know how, with illustrious players such as Baena, Chelu Cid, Jorge Martinez, Moya and Soto, to name a few of the squad's notable Spanish players, under the management of Luis Carlos Ortega.

Ortega, speaking to the BM Antequera website, said: “We are trying to keep competing, but we are all desperate to bring the season to an end,” explained the coach. “We will try to add two more points on a difficult court, with great support, where they have picked up many points and secured survival,” he analysed. “They are very good at launching first-wave counter-attacks and handle the 6-0, 5-1 and, at times during the match, 3-2-1 defensive systems very well,” he concluded.

For the red-and-white side, and amid the usual comings and goings of renewals, arrivals and departures at the end of the season, Muiña and Lapcevic will not be involved, while Latorre will remain doubtful until the last moment. Even so, the red-and-white manager Goran Dockic states that “we have to finish by picking up points, because these supporters deserve it and we want to finish with as many points as possible”.

In short, this is expected to be an evenly balanced match, as the first-leg meeting at the Fernando Arguelles was, where the Antequera side won 26-24 after the red-and-whites squandered a lead of up to five goals in the second half.

Translation produced using artificial intelligence.