We welcome Balonmano Soria refreshed

This Saturday, from 18:30, Fertiberia Balonmano Puerto Sagunto will play the 10th round of the División de Honor Plata Masculina. They will welcome Balonmano Soria to the Pabellón Port de Sagunt.

After causing one of the surprises of the first round of the 2026 Copa S. M. el Rey de la RFEBM by beating BM Caserío Ciudad Real 30-20, the red-and-whites had a break from domestic competition. Their visit to the Pabellón Colegio Los Olivos to face Trops Málaga, in the ninth round of the regular league season, will take place on Wednesday 10 December because of the international commitments of both their coaches, Chispi Vázquez and Micri Rueda, and player Alberto Castro.

The Soria side have had an unusual week, facing Anaitasuna twice at home at the Pabellón San Andrés, with negative results in both the cup tie (30-33) and the league match (28-30). They currently occupy a relegation place to Primera Nacional; they are fourteenth in the overall standings, with six points.

The Castilla y León side were promoted this season to the second-highest tier of Spanish handball. In the 2024-2025 season, they reached the promotion play-off for the Plata division organised by Club Balonmano Bolaños, but lost the final to Mubak BM La Roca. Despite the defeat, after Sant Cugat relinquished its place, the RFEBM offered the yellow-clad side the opportunity to play in this division because they had been the next-best runners-up in the aforementioned promotion phase, an offer they accepted.

“As with every opponent we welcome from the lower half of mid-table, we have to show sufficient respect and humility. Defensively above all, we will have to be very tough to prevent them from scoring heavily, because the competition’s top scorer is in their ranks,” first-team coach Toni Malla said of the side they will face.

As for their squad, Oriol Castellarnau has been retained as head coach and will begin his second season, this time alongside Ukrainian Bogan Chopenko as his right-hand man, replacing Jan Solaní. They have renewed a total of ten players, so much of their core group remains intact. Seven players have departed, replaced by new signings Edu Alonso, Benja Illesca, Pedro Ibarra, Sergio Tobes, Pedro Berrío, Henrique Petter, Pipe García and Jon Urtizberea, all of whom have experience in both Liga Nexus Energía ASOBAL and the División de Honor Plata.

“It is one of the crucial matches for taking both points if we want to be near the top over the coming months; we cannot let them slip at home. A wonderful atmosphere was already created in the cup match. There are only three home fixtures left before Christmas, and we need supporters to come and cheer the boys on in every one of them,” concluded the Tortosa-born coach on the importance of the supporters.

It will be a very special match, as it will be held on the day of one of the club’s sponsors: Clínica Baviera. There will be gifts, games and a medical van offering free diagnoses to interested people.

Supporters wishing to buy tickets for the match can do so in person or through the club’s website. Tickets will cost 12 euros when purchased before Saturday: www.cbmpuertosagunto.com/entradas.

Translation produced using artificial intelligence.