Fertiberia want to ‘draw on heroics’ to win the derby at the Ovni

With no time to rest, Fertiberia BM Puerto Sagunto will face BM Benidorm at the Ovni on Saturday 12 September at 18:30. The Comunitat derby comes in matchday 4 of the Sacyr ASOBAL League, the second match for both teams this season. Both Vicent Nogués’ side and Latorre’s side arrive at the derby after an opening defeat: Benidorm lost away to Ademar León, while the Puerto Sagunto side lost at home to Recoletas Atlético Valladolid. The match will once again take place with spectators and limited capacity, as required by the regulations. Specifically, the following members and their linked members will be able to watch the match live: M0351 to M0472 and their linked members, and S0667 to S952 and their linked members. (*) Members whose card states “VINCULADO”, “VINCULADO JOVEN” or “VINCULADO INFANTIL” must enter together with the member of their family group whose card bears the inscription “FAMILIAR” or “FAMILIAR JUBILADO”; they may not enter separately. The club’s board strongly urges fans attending the match to arrive from 17:15 onwards, as the measures that had to be implemented at the entrance delayed the admission of members who arrived at the last minute.

It should be remembered that the membership fee, which this season has been reduced by between 25% and 30% of its usual price, must be renewed at the club’s headquarters (c/ Alfambra, 24, 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, youth and linked membership €40, and children’s membership €15. For any queries, current or prospective members can contact subealovni@cbmpuertosagunto.com.

As for the sporting side, the red-and-white coach, Vicent Nogués, said that the final result against Valladolid was a shame ‘I think the team played very well in the first half. We began by following the guidelines we had set, with defensive work, preventing them from running, and being brave and decisive in attack. That enabled us to reach half-time two goals ahead, although in the first half we had leads of up to six goals. We began the second half with a lot of turnovers, and the turnovers, together with the technical fouls, accumulated to the point where Valladolid began to feel comfortable on the court and started running. This meant that we reached the end with them ahead on the scoreboard, and although we tried to fight until the end of the match, it was not to be’.

Regarding tomorrow’s match, Saturday, Nogués says that they will have to draw on heroics to win, as the red-and-whites have only been able to play two matches together and still need to develop as a team:‘Now we have to think about Benidorm. The other team from the Comunitat have put together a very good squad to play in Europe, and at home this is one of those matches in which we have to try to go the extra mile and ensure that they are not at their best so that we can pick up points. I think that last year we won matches of this level here at home, but I believe that this year the team still needs to grow and find its rhythm because we have only played two matches together. Combined with Dija’s absence, as he will not be able to take part due to injury, this means that the team will have to draw a little on heroics to get the result’.

‘We are going to fight. Last year we were already without important players such as Dija, and the team stood up and fought. We are going to try, especially in the derby, which is always a very special match at the Ovni. We will try to ensure that the points stay in Puerto’, Nogués concluded.

COVID-19 safety measures at the Ovni

Club president Juanjo Bataller outlined the measures that will be implemented: ‘spectators must not leave their seats during the interval. The public will not be allowed access to the court. Only the authorised seats may be used; unusable seats will be marked. The pavilion may be entered only through the main door, where all attendees will have their temperature taken. There will be a disinfectant mat, and the use of hand sanitiser will be compulsory both on entering and leaving the pavilion. The 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 one’.

As for the members who will be allowed to enter the Ovni:‘we will establish a rotation, beginning with the longest-standing members and their family groups. The rotation will move on at successive matches. This will allow us to avoid having to fill in the personal-data form required by the health authorities on entry, since the data of attending members are already 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 headquarters from Monday onwards. They will be given a face mask bearing the Club’s corporate image together with the card’, the president recalled that the membership campaign ‘we are returning to the Ovni’ is already under way and that members can renew their commitment from Monday.

‘No other people will be admitted apart from those specified. No other supporters, from either team, or academy players may attend; provision has been made for the latter to be admitted in future rotating turns. Children who are members may enter in their corresponding 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 under a system based on their reduced capacity, in order to limit movement within 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 keep hydrated’ .

‘Whether we can hold the next matches with spectators will depend on the outcome of this experience. We must scrupulously comply with the safety rules and existing protocols. We are confident in our members’ understanding and goodwill. 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 Balonmano Puerto Sagunto.

Translation produced using artificial intelligence.