Fertiberia Puerto Sagunto seeks relief in Santander

This Saturday from 18.00, Fertiberia Puerto Sagunto visit Go Fit BM Sinfín of Santander at the famous La Albericia arena.

The match is once again shaping up to be a tense contest for both sides, separated by just one point in this fierce battle to avoid relegation taking place from mid-table downwards in the Liga Bauhaus Asobal. The Cantabrians are tenth with ten points, but only two points ahead of the Valencians, who are in the relegation zone with eight points. A Fertiberia win would level things up again and would certainly take them out of the relegation zone, given the direct meetings between the other teams involved in the fight for survival. The two teams arrive at the match in very different condition after this past Wednesday’s league fixture. Rodrigo Reñones’s side won away to another direct rival, AX Puente Genil, by a narrow 25-26 scoreline, but it was enough to put the two points in the suitcase for the journey to Santander. By contrast, Pachi Martí’s side once again failed to deliver at the Ovni, losing 30-33 to Guadalajara and earning boos from their supporters, who have not seen them win at the Ovni since they defeated Benidorm there in September. Indeed, of Fertiberia’s meagre eight points, half have been earned away from home. Their last two away trips, to Aragón and Huesca, ended in a win and a draw respectively: three points from a possible four. These are the main source of motivation for a wounded group that certainly did not expect, even in the most pessimistic scenario, to find itself one match before the end of the first half of the season in the relegation zone for the División de Honor Plata. In times of sporting uncertainty, it seems that playing away provides relief for players and a coaching staff who cannot find the formula for maintaining their points-scoring rate at home. The home side are not far behind, maintaining similar form. In fact, La Albericia has seen them win only against Teucro and Cuenca, and they understandably view this clash between two needy sides as an opportunity to claim their third victory. As for absentees and available players, Fertiberia travel without Toni Alegre, who has a muscular injury, and without pivot Alex Pozzer, who has still not recovered from his groin problems. Bruixola and Corzo, although also carrying physical problems, will be included in the squad travelling on Friday at 15.00 to spend the night in Santander. After this match, only the brief Copa del Rey distraction remains: a last-16 tie in which being drawn against FC Barcelona Lassa for the third consecutive year leaves little hope of progressing. The match will be played on Tuesday 15 at the Ovni, Fertiberia’s final official fixture until February after the Christmas holidays and the traditional January international break.

Translation produced using artificial intelligence.