Francisco Ruiz, ‘Paquillo’, last-minute reinforcement following Diego Olba’s injury

Fertiberia Balonmano Puerto Sagunto have immediately signed left winger Francisco José Ruiz Cabrera, ‘Paquillo’, until the end of the season to cover the recent long-term absence of first-team captain Diego Olba.

The club announced on its social media yesterday afternoon that Diego had undergone successful surgery, performed last Wednesday by Dr Verónica Fajardo at Hospital Intermutual de Levante, due to his injury to the anterior cruciate ligament of his left knee.

He suffered the injury in the first semi-final of the promotion play-offs to Liga NEXUS ENERGÍA ASOBAL, held in May, in which the red-and-whites were beaten 30–23 by Balonmano Caserío Ciudad Real. Coincidentally, the opponents’ left winger was the player who will now take his place at Puerto Sagunto for the 2025–2026 season.

Francisco José Ruiz Cabrera, a native of Ciudad Real, is 29 years old and 176 cm tall. He will embark on his first professional adventure outside the autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha. He took his first steps at Alarcos and later moved to Bolaños. At youth level, he was also a champion and two-time runner-up with his regional team.

His breakthrough came with Balonmano Caserío Ciudad Real, where he spent six seasons, through the 2024–2025 campaign. He has played in three promotion play-offs to the Men’s Silver Honour Division, earning promotion in one, and three more to Liga NEXUS ENERGÍA ASOBAL, securing promotion last May as one of the squad’s captains. In the regular season, he scored 38 goals in the 25 matches he played.

After not renewing his contract with the newly promoted side in the top tier of Spanish handball, on 26 July another Castile-La Mancha team, BM Pozuelo, announced his signing to compete with the club in Group F of the Primera Nacional. He had completed pre-season with them and even had his registration processed. Ultimately, faced with the last-minute opportunity to play for one of the clear promotion candidates in the Silver Division, he chose to join the Valencian side.

In this way, subject to passing the relevant medical examination, he would become the final signing confirmed by the board, which would thereby consider the squad complete, joining the other seven: Juani Villarreal, Jakob Pelko, Alex Pozzer, Alberto Serradilla, Nicolás Zungri, Carlos Martín de Bolaños Ruiz and Oriol Teixidor.

Translation produced using artificial intelligence.