Fertiberia Puerto Sagunto to endure the ordeal of the Palau Blaugrana

Tomorrow, Saturday, from 8.30 pm, with Movistar + cameras broadcasting live (C+ Deportes 2, Channel 56), Fertiberia Puerto Sagunto face F.C. Barcelona Lassa in a match corresponding to Matchday 9 of the BAHUAUS ASOBAL League.

If there is one match that Bauhaus Asobal League coaches mark in green on the calendar, it is the one in which their team faces unbeaten and seemingly unbeatable FC Barcelona. We could resort to clichés, talk about the search for a miracle and all those stock phrases used in sport to describe such uneven clashes. But the truth is that the blaugrana side have gone 69 domestic matches without defeat, and it does not seem that Fertiberia will have a chance tomorrow to prevent them from pursuing the Spanish handball record, held by Granollers with 71 unbeaten matches.

Seen in this light, Pachi Martí looks for his small victories in this uneven clash in areas that go beyond the two points. The Valencians will seek to improve their performance and image against the league’s top sides, because the truth is that their matches against Barcelona’s immediate challengers have resulted in considerable damage. The 24–37 against second-placed Naturhouse, the 27–37 against third-placed Ademar León and the 35–20 against fourth-placed Fraikin Granollers certainly do not inspire optimism, but they left both the red-and-white supporters and the Valencian dressing room wounded. They believe they are not that good when they draw in Aranda or beat Benidorm or Cuenca convincingly, nor are they as bad as those heavy defeats suggest. The Palau, with Movistar’s cameras as witnesses, is a good venue in which to assert themselves, where the red-and-white stars must shine despite the Catalan superstars and where the squad’s unsung heroes must show Pachi Martí that they are ready for more evenly matched battles.

And all this comes in the aftermath of the cup draw, where fate has left no room for Fertiberia to return to a Copa del Rey Final Four, as they did in Logroño in 2013. Since then, Barcelona have crossed their path in the subsequent rounds, and, to make matters worse, this formidable Barcelona side will once again be Fertiberia’s opponents in the cup round of 16. It could hardly be worse luck.

For the blaugrana side, Xavi Pascual is still without Dani Sarmiento, who will possibly be replaced by the younger Dujshebaev, and he may also rest one or more of his regular players.

As for Pachi Martí’s squad availability for the league match, Bruixola will return to the squad, while Tarrasó is working hard to regain his fitness for the match on the 14th, after the international break, against Anaitasuna at the Ovni. The international call-up also brings good news, with Brazil selecting the red-and-white pivot Alex Pozzer, who will travel directly from Barcelona to Germany, where the Brazilians are taking part in an international tournament.

Translation produced using artificial intelligence.