Rubi, head coach of UD Almería, addressed the media before the match against Málaga CF and responded to statements made by rival coach Juanfran. "He spoke like all coaches, highlighting the opponent's strengths and saying they could beat us, just as I would say about them," Rubi commented, adding that the favoritism narrative is a "classic with Almería" that the press should stop buying. He asserted that his squad is "more" than others, with deficits that other teams don't have, and that favoritism is "forgotten." "Here, if we don't work hard for the full 180 or 210 minutes, there's no chance against Málaga or Cultural Leonesa," he stated.
Regarding the expected atmosphere at La Rosaleda, Rubi noted that stadiums are "very full" in LaLiga Hypermotion and that his players, with experience in Primera División, approach this situation "with naturalness." "We know that the rival fans, with sportsmanship, will push and cheer their team a lot, but we are very accustomed to it," he said, downplaying the noise from opposing fans and focusing on "playing a good game and playing well."
On the rivalry between Andalusian fan bases, Rubi advocated for "total brotherhood" and urged everyone to "push to analyze only the sporting aspect," minimizing "small things that might happen on a pitch."
When asked if the football world's preference for Málaga's promotion is "fuel" for his team, Rubi acknowledged that they felt something similar last year with historic clubs. "Perhaps we are smaller, in a corner where we are less liked," he noted, though he insisted on approaching the game "with humility." He considers the match a "50-50" and believes favoritism "leads nowhere."
Regarding absences, Rubi indicated that "there might be a player with a minor discomfort, but very minimal." He assured that all players "want to be there" and that the fans' commitment is "fantastic." "Let's see if we can come back with a good result and achieve promotion at home, because doing it here is even more beautiful," he wished.
On whether Almería has an obligation to be promoted, the coach stated, "We want to go up, that's clear, it's the objective the club has set." "We have more than accepted and worked towards that obligation throughout the year," he concluded, highlighting the energy of teams with history that have "cleansed negativity."
Rubi described matching Málaga's intensity as "fundamental" but warned of the risk of "haste." "Málaga is among the top in terms of intensity, very high speed peaks, with the freshness of a young team. We are a team that either controls the opponent's transitions or we struggle. And Málaga is a team that transitions very well and counter-attacks very well. We are very clear that they should not have that possibility," he explained.
Finally, on player experience, Rubi noted that both teams have "players with significant experience" and "others aged 23-25 who have been in the category for years and are not intimidated by playing these types of matches," while also highlighting the "freshness and boldness of youth" in his squad.
