Fertiberia want to take points at the third-placed team’s ground to consolidate their lead

Fertiberia Balonmano Puerto Sagunto face Novás on Saturday 15 April at 7 pm at the O Rosal Municipal Pavilion. Toni Malla’s side travel intending to take points against a direct promotion rival or achieve ‘a result that can be overturned’. Fertiberia go into the match in first place, two points ahead of third-placed Novás. A great match in the group competing for promotion to Asobal.

The red-and-white coach, Toni Malla, discusses the match and how the team arrives for it, saying: ‘The days off have helped us recharge physically and be a little better prepared for what lies ahead in this final stretch of the season. If it is not the most important match, it is certainly one of the key ones. It is true that we have that two-point advantage in the standings, which allows us to leave there with a good result. I am talking about a result that can be overturned at home, but obviously our intention is to take points and try to get something. This would bring us much closer to securing third place, which is what we are looking for, and secondly, closer to promotion.’

Regarding the opponents, Malla states: ‘We will face a team that has been the surprise package of the División de Honor Plata. At the start of the season, we all thought Novás would struggle to reach the promotion phase, but it is clear that, through their hard work and good performances, they are having an incredible season. They are a very dangerous team and make things especially difficult because they master several systems. They are very versatile in defence and attack. They have up to 16 or 17 players in rotation and their coach uses practically all of them, making this a very difficult match to prepare for. The coaching staff have spent several weeks watching them and analysing where we can hurt them, and we are aware that this match will be very difficult. We will have to be highly focused to do things properly and get something positive, whether that is a result that can be overturned or, obviously, the maximum number of points we can bring back to Puerto de Sagunto.’

Translation produced using artificial intelligence.