Fertiberia begin the league at home against Valladolid on Wednesday

The Sacyr ASOBAL League returns to the Ovni next Wednesday 9 September, from 20.15. Fertiberia BM Puerto Sagunto will host Recoletas Atlético Valladolid in what will be the first match of the 20-21 season, although it corresponds to matchday 2. After the Royal Spanish Handball Federation postponed the matches from matchdays 1 and 3 scheduled for last week, everything seems to indicate that the league and elite Spanish handball will finally return to Puerto de Sagunto. The match will be played with spectators, if the development of the pandemic in the area allows it. Following the same system as in pre-season, the red-and-white club president has announced that they will be able to attend. The red-and-white president, Juanjo Bataller, has stated that if everything ‘goes well and continues as planned, members M-101 to M-350, F-36, 58, 66, 123, 134, 136, 144, 146, 148, 151, 167, 172, 173, 191, 192, 193 and their linked members will enjoy the first league match at the Ovni’. Bataller also insisted that members' passes are non-transferable ‘because the first and last names of those attending the match must be recorded, and the calculations have been made so that the permitted capacity is observed, including the linked members of the registered members’.

He also reminded everyone that passes must be collected from the club offices from Monday to Friday, between 10.00 and 13.00. ‘ Now is when we need our members most. This is a difficult time for everyone, but we hope that members will renew their commitment to the club and that soon we will all be able to enjoy the best Spanish handball again at the Ovni’.

It should be remembered that membership fees, which this season have been reduced by between 25 and 30% of their usual price, must be renewed at the club offices (24 Alfambra St, Puerto de Sagunto) by members wishing to renew their commitment

Prices range from €300 to €15. Honorary members can renew their commitment for €300, family membership costs €140, standard membership €100, retired membership €70, young and linked membership €40, and children's membership €15. For any queries, existing or new members can contact subealovni@cbmpuertosagunto.com.

Regarding sporting matters, the red-and-white coach, Vicent Nogués, said that the players had needed more pre-season matches following the cancellation of the friendlies against Cuenca and Granollers: ‘ we approached the first pre-season match with uncertainty. We have hardly played any matches to test ourselves, only against Benidorm. The players have arrived in stages, but I see them fully focused; they have trained well and I hope we will be at 100% on Wednesday. A great deal of work has been done; the boys have worked very hard’.

‘Valladolid are a team that have been playing together for a long time, they are quick on the counter-attack and make few unforced errors’They are a dangerous team. We need to be strong in defence, and their game has a lot of power on the left wing, led by their two centre backs, Camino and Adrián Fernández, who are very good players and control the team’, Nogués said of the visiting team.

COVID-19 safety measures at the Ovni

Club president Juanjo Bataller outlined the measures to be implemented: ‘spectators must not leave their seats during the interval. The public will not be allowed access to the court. Only designated seats may be used; unusable seats will be marked. The pavilion may only be entered through the main door, where the temperature of all attendees will be taken. There will be a disinfectant mat, and the use of hand sanitiser will be compulsory both on entering and leaving the pavilion. Correct use of a face mask will also be required. The pavilion may not be entered or exited through any door other than the main entrance’.

Regarding the members who will be able to enter the Ovni:‘a rota will be established, starting with the longest-standing members and their family groups. At subsequent matches, the rota will move on. This will avoid having to fill in the personal-data form required by the Health Department on entry, as the details of attending members will already be held by the Club. A safety distance of 1.5 metres must be maintained at all times’, Bataller explained.

‘Members must attend the match with this season's membership card, which can be collected from the club offices from Monday, and they will be given a mask bearing the Club's corporate image together with the card’, the president reminded everyone that the membership campaign ‘we will return to the Ovni’ is already under way and that members can renew their commitment from Monday.

‘No other people will be allowed in apart from those indicated. No other supporters, from either team, or youth players will be able to attend; provision has also been made for the latter to enter in future rotating turns. Children who are members may enter during their allocated turn, accompanied by adults who will be responsible for compliance with all the rules, especially the safety distance. Children who are not members will not be allowed into the pavilion’, Juanjo Bataller added.

Regarding the use of the pavilion's facilities, the red-and-white president noted that ‘attendees will also be asked to use the toilets as little as possible. They will also operate a system adapted to their reduced capacity, in order to reduce movement around the facility and maintain the safety distance. We will have to avoid crowds, both when entering and leaving the facility, always maintaining a distance of 1.5 metres, even once we are outside the pavilion. We recommend that people bring water from home, because as they will not be able to leave, they will need to stay hydrated’ .

‘Whether we can hold future matches with spectators will depend on the outcome of this experience. We must scrupulously respect the safety rules and existing protocols. We are confident in the understanding and goodwill of our members. We are learning; this is a new experience and we have no precedents, but we believe it is worth trying so that we can enjoy watching our team live’, concluded the president of Fertiberia Handball Puerto Sagunto.

Translation produced using artificial intelligence.