Copa S. M. El Rey 2026 mode activated

Fertiberia Balonmano Puerto Sagunto will play the first single-leg tie of the Copa S. M. El Rey 2026 this Wednesday from 20:00 at the Port de Sagunt Sports Pavilion against BM Caserío Ciudad Real.

The red-and-whites come into the cup tie after comfortably beating (28-21) Confía Balonmano Base Oviedo in the eighth round of the Men's Silver Honour Division. The victory has temporarily lifted them to fourth place in the competition with 11 points, in promotion play-off places for the Liga Nexus Energía ASOBAL. Meanwhile, the Castile-La Mancha side come off a week without fixtures due to the season’s first international break. After the first seven rounds in the top tier of Spanish handball, they are outside the relegation places to the Silver division, sitting eleventh with five points.

In this way, red-and-white supporters will be able to enjoy watching their team for at least one round of the cup competition, as last season their only match in it was away and ended negatively.

The Puerto Sagunto side were eliminated in this same round after losing 35-26 at Pitiu Rochel to Horneo EÓN Alicante, who were directly promoted from the Men's Silver Honour Division to the Liga Nexus Energía ASOBAL. BM Caserío Ciudad Real, by contrast, bowed out one round later at the Quijote Arena against Balonmano Cangas Frigoríficos del Morrazo (36-39).

“We are very keen to progress, but even more so to play a good match and enjoy it. We want to show that we are also capable of competing against these opponents. It is a squad with very little in common with last year’s; they have strengthened in every position on the 40×20,” says Toni Malla about how he views both his own team and the one they will face.

The Ciudad Real side are familiar opponents for the Valencians, as they shared the division last season. In the three head-to-head meetings played in 2024-2025, the regular-league points were won narrowly by the home teams: first in the Valencian Community (27-26), and then in Castile-La Mancha (35-34). The third meeting took place in the first semi-final of the promotion phase to the Liga Nexus Energía ASOBAL, where Santi Urdiales’s side, as hosts, gave Toni Malla’s team no chance, winning 30-23.

It will be a special clash for two players. Ángel Pérez de Inestrosa will return to what was his home for two seasons (2016-2017 and 2017-2018) in the top tier of Spanish men’s handball. Even more recent is the case of the Puerto Sagunto side’s latest signing, Francisco José Ruiz Cabrera, ‘Paquillo’, who will face his former teammates at the club where he played for six years.

The visitors will be without their right back, David Fernández, who mutually agreed to end his contract just four days ago and has already joined Balonmano Nava.

“I would like the supporters to respond; I think they will be the decisive factor. We have to create a pressure cooker so that the players feel the stand is behind them and we have a better chance of progressing in the competition,” concludes the Catalan coach, encouraging people to attend the Port de Sagunt Sports Pavilion, where the team have won all four regular-league matches played there so far.

Supporters wishing to buy tickets to watch the match can do so in person or via the club’s website. Tickets will cost 12 euros for purchases made before Wednesday: www.cbmpuertosagunto.com/entradas/.

Translation produced using artificial intelligence.