A starting point for a February facing teams from the lower part of the table

Fertiberia Balonmano Puerto Sagunto travel to Asturias this weekend to visit Confía Base Oviedo on Saturday from 18:30 at the Vallobín Sports Centre, in a match corresponding to the twenty-third round of the Men's Silver Division.

This fixture will begin a February in which the Porteños will face, as far as the regular league is concerned, three teams involved in the fight to avoid relegation. After this match, they will host Trops Málaga and visit Club Balonmano Soria.

The red and whites arrive for the fixture after securing one of the most important victories of the season, defeating one of the candidates for promotion to the Liga Nexus Energía ASOBAL, UBU San Pablo Burgos 2031, 28-24 at the Port de Sagunt Pavilion. The two points enabled them to win the head-to-head goal difference and return to second place in the competition with 32 points, taking advantage of Club Cisne Colegio Los Sauces’ 28-26 victory over Fundación Agustinos Alicante.

The Oviedo side, by contrast, are going through a situation completely opposite to that of the Valencian team. They currently occupy twelfth place with 16 points, a position that would force them to play the relegation play-out to avoid dropping to Primera Nacional. In their most recent fixture, they lost 29-23 at La Catedral against Anaitasuna.

The most recent meeting between the two sides dates back to last November, when the home team claimed victory (28-21), after a first half that had practically settled the match by half-time, with the score at 16-8.

“It is one of the most difficult away trips of the year. We know it is a venue that puts pressure on you; in fact, every team that has visited has suffered, and they have only suffered two defeats at home so far. They are a well-drilled team and we will have to play our best handball to take points,” says Sergio Mallo about what he expects from the trip to the Principality of Asturias.

The squad managed by Daniel Bandrés has two changes in its back line compared with the first-leg match played in the Valencian Community. Mikel Galán left the Asturian club for personal reasons, and his place has been filled by the arrival, on loan until the end of the season, of 19-year-old Mateo García from Bathco BM Torrelavega.

Translation produced using artificial intelligence.