Tubos Villa de Aranda, a deceptive bottom side

Fertiberia Puerto Sagunto face their third away trip in the NEXUS ENERGÍA ASOBAL League this Saturday, from 19:00, visiting Tubos Villa de Aranda at the Santiago Manguán Pavilion in a match corresponding to the seventh round of the competition.

The red-and-white side head into the match after clearly defeating (39-24) Viveros Herol BM Nava at the Port de Sagunt Pavilion last weekend. The victory enabled the team to collect two points, move away from the relegation places and rise to ninth in the regular league table, with four points in total.

Opposite them will be the Aranda side, bottom of the division and the only team with just one point in the overall standings. They earned it on the opening matchday, after drawing (30-30) at home against BM Caserío Ciudad Real. Since then, they have suffered five consecutive defeats. In their previous fixture, they lost away at the Palacio de los Deportes to ABANCA Ademar León by 40-35.

Javier Márquez has been head coach of the Castilla and León side since 2023, a role he combines with that of head coach of the Spanish Royal Handball Federation’s youth Hispanos, having previously served as assistant coach of the junior team.

“The fact that they have strengthened the pivot position and their long-range shooting gives them an individual boost. They have fully embraced the playing model, with excellent ball circulation. We expect to make things difficult for them, knowing that they have many variations over the sixty minutes,” analysed Sergio Mallo of the squad his players will face.

Regarding arrivals and departures, Tubos Villa de Aranda have replaced the departures of Dalmau Huix, Kuba Sladkowski, Asier Iribar, Jevgenijs Rogonovs and former Valencia player Vicente Poveda with the arrivals of Samuel Cordiés, Mehran Rahnama, Robert Rosell, Noah Martinsson, Filip Saric and another former Valencia player, Artur Parera.

It will be a match full of reunions. For Fertiberia Puerto Sagunto, Arnau Fernández, Miguel Llorens, Matheus de Novais and Jorge Romanillos have all worn the shirt of the opponents they will face. Meanwhile, Artur Parera, mentioned above, and academy graduate David López have previously represented Tubos Villa de Aranda in the red-and-white colours.

The two most recent meetings between the teams from the Valencian Community and Castilla and León took place more than three years ago, in the División de Honor Plata. The Valencian side won both matches: 26-29 in the first leg away from home and 31-22 in the return fixture at home. To find the most recent meeting between the two clubs in the highest tier of Spanish handball, we must go back to March 2021, when the result was 22-27 at the same venue where this Saturday’s match will be played.

“It is clear that they need to pick up points. They compete very well at home, and they have done so against every opponent they have faced, even Barça. We are going to find a packed pavilion. We want those who come to support us to enjoy themselves and, if possible, for that enjoyment to come from us bringing the two points back home,” added Arnau Fernández in conclusion, highlighting the importance of playing at home and remembering the supporters who will travel to Aranda de Duero.

Supporters from Sagunto who wish to follow the match broadcast remotely can do so via the league’s OTT service, ASOBAL TV, using the following link: https://www.streamwayplus.com/es/asobal-tv or on the Eurosport 2 channel.

Translation produced using artificial intelligence.