The Port de Sagunt Pavilion will say goodbye to 2025 with a derby

Fertiberia Balonmano Puerto Sagunto host Balonmano Servigroup Benidorm this weekend in the fourteenth round of the Men's División de Honor Plata. It is a Valencian Community derby to be played at the Port de Sagunt Pavilion on a different day (Sunday) and at a different time (from 18:00) than usual, due to the home side's midweek fixture.

The red and whites come into the clash after a 23-27 win away to Trops Málaga at the Diego Carrasco Municipal Pavilion on Wednesday, in the postponed match from the competition's ninth round. The victory lifted them to the top of the table with 20 points, the same as Cajasol Sevilla BM Proin, but with a better goal difference. They have also scored points in eight consecutive fixtures, with six wins and two draws. They have not lost in domestic competition since 11 October, coincidentally also in a derby, in that case against Fundación Agustinos Alicante (27-21).

The Benidorm side arrive on an upward trajectory, having won all four of their last four matches, notably against Fundación Agustinos Alicante (26-25) and last weekend against Anaitasuna (34-29), two teams aiming for promotion to the Liga Nexus Energía ASOBAL. They are fifth with 18 points, thereby setting the current cut-off for the final team to enter the promotion play-offs.

“They are improving with every round and are at their best. They have players of impressive standing and quality. They will battle us for a place near the top. Analysing them, we keep seeing the different tactical variations they have,” comments first-team coach Toni Malla about the formidable side they face.

We do not have to go far back in time to discuss direct meetings between the two sides, as our final pre-season test in September was precisely against them, at the Port de Sagunt Pavilion itself. The visitors won 25-26 with a goal from Abdoula Modi after time had expired.

After finishing bottom of ASOBAL in the 2024-2025 season with 19 points, they quickly set about building a squad that would return them to the top tier of Spanish handball, led by their new sporting director, Iván Nikcevic. Serbian coach Marko Krivokapic (father of our former goalkeeper Luka Krivokapic), who took charge of the Alicante side in March last season, renewed his contract and is joined by Alejandro Cutanda, who replaces Isidre Pérez.

On relegation, they suffered significant losses, including Nacho Valles, Tommaso de Angelis, Joao Bandeira, Krystian Witkowski, David Roca and Pepe Oliver. Despite the numerous departures, they managed to retain key players such as Lucas Moscariello, Juan Carlos Sempere, Pablo Vainstein, Leo Alonso, Ramiro Martínez, Daniil Zhukov and Hugo Vila. Among the arrivals, they made high-quality signings including David Mach, Pol Roy, Diego Pérez, Carlos Fernández, Marc López, Abdoulah Modi and former Puerto de Sagunto goalkeeper Samuel Ibáñez. Less than a month ago, they announced the end of their association with one of their signings, Feliciano Nunes, due to bureaucratic issues, replacing him with Uros Ostojic on loan.

“No one should think it will be easy. Having the supporters on our side and filling the pavilion would be hugely important because it would bring us closer to securing the two points and saying goodbye to them in 2025 in the best possible way,” concludes the Catalan coach, appealing to supporters who two weeks ago backed the team with an attendance of almost 1,800 people.

It will be a very special match, as it will be held on the day of one of the club's sponsors (BYD Atursa), and our official shop will be open. Supporters wishing to buy tickets for the match can do so in person or via the club's website. Tickets will cost 12 euros for purchases made before Sunday: https://www.cbmpuertosagunto.com/entradas.

Translation produced using artificial intelligence.