Alser BM Puerto Sagunto visit Cuenca 2016

Alser BM Puerto Sagunto face BM Cuenca 2016 tomorrow, Saturday, from 7 pm at the El Sargal Sports Centre.

Cuenca 2016 are enjoying a great season and come off a draw against the league's third-placed team, Fraikin BM Granollers, in the Vallès region. The team managed by Zupo Equisoain are in excellent form and approach the match with the peace of mind that comes from having their work done. As could be seen in the first-leg fixture, their highly active defence, combined with the finishing power of their two Cuban players, Costa and Capote, caused the red-and-whites major problems, to the extent that Cuenca share with Renovalia Ciudad Real the honorary title of “Ovni conquerors”, as they are the only two teams to have won at the home of the Portuarios.

Against this backdrop, Goran Dzockic's men, the former Cuenca coach, come into the match carrying two significant handicaps. Firstly, the absences of two key players in their attacking system: Galician Iago Muiña through injury, and Nikola Prce through suspension.

The suspension, incidentally, is for two matches, following a straight dismissal in the final minute of the match against Amaya Sport San Antonio, and has been received with genuine indignation by the red-and-white board. Everyone expected the suspension to be for one match, which is what the RFEBM Competition Committee has been imposing for this type of final-minute incident. However, the Committee has come down hard on the red-and-whites, who will take the matter to the National Appeals Committee in an effort to have it reduced to this Saturday's match, allowing Prce to feature against Fraikin BM Granollers on 15 March.

On the other hand, the red-and-whites are weighed down by the team's poor performances away from home, where they have only managed to win in Eibar.

Despite everything, Alser travel to Cuenca intending to reverse those away performances and overcome the absences. Goran will surely have alternatives prepared to cause an upset at the venue that was his home for three seasons.

Translation produced using artificial intelligence.