Cajasol Sevilla BM Proin played its first preseason match, losing 36-32 to Benfica in Lisbon. Despite the defeat, the team coached by Antonio García showed a positive image against a Portuguese opponent in a more advanced stage of preparation and on the verge of competing in the Portuguese Super Cup final.
The Sevillian squad demonstrated its ability to compete head-to-head for a significant part of the game, challenging one of the prominent teams in Portuguese handball. The match started with equality, although Benfica managed to build a lead by the end of the first half, reaching halftime with a score of 19-15. Chema Márquez was one of the offensive strengths for the Hispalense team in the first half.
After the break, Benfica increased their pace and extended their lead to 27-19. However, Cajasol Sevilla BM Proin reacted, led by Rodrigo Salinas and Rolando Uríos, managing to reduce the deficit to 29-23. The team continued to compete until the end, with the final score settling at 36-32.
For this friendly, Antonio García had almost the entire squad available, with the exception of Pablo Sánchez Labrador, who will join the group on Monday after participating with Spain in the U-18 European Championship. The coach also gave minutes to young talents from the academy such as Marco Antonio Pérez and Juan Pablo Varela.
This match marks the beginning of a preseason designed to progressively raise the level of demand, aiming for the team to be in optimal condition for their debut in the Liga ASOBAL. The next match will be on August 26th against REBI Cuenca.
