The most immediate objective of Almería is to continue recovering players and get back into physical shape to take that cruising speed that has allowed them to put a good cushion of points on their direct rivals in the league. With the meeting of Las Palmas de Gran Canarias next Sunday (9:30 p.m.) on the horizon, the Cup is not a priority in the rojiblanca booth, as Rubi recalled both after the match against Cartagena and at the press conference itself prior to the cup duel, held yesterday. However, it is not just any challenge for Almería tomorrow (20:00), since they have only reached the round of 16 three times in their history.
“If we have to lose in the Cup due to improper alignment, we will lose”, said Rubi last Sunday after finishing with just seven professional chips on the green. Yesterday he picked up the cable and assured that that idea does not come out, so he will form a renovated eleven with the footballers who have been recovering more others who acted against Cartagena, without ruling out the presence of affiliate players in the initial photo.
Up to a dozen times the UDA has played the round of 32 of the Copa del Rey, winning only three. In November 2002 he had the first opportunity to qualify for the last 16, but he did not achieve it until the 08-09 season, when he eliminated Rayo after a 1-2 in Madrid and a 3-0 in Almería, later falling in the second round against Mallorca. Two seasons later he followed the same path again, charging Real Sociedad (2-3 and 2-1) in sixteenths and winning the round of 16 for the first time in its history. They beat Mallorca and later Depor in the quarterfinals, with six wins in six games in the tournament that year, reaching the semi-finals, where they ran into Barcelona.
The third time he qualified for the eighth was last year, when he scored a ‘manita’ (5-1) to Alavés in one of the largest exhibitions starring José Gomes’ men. On the other side of the coin are the seven occasions in which the UDA fell in the round that it will play tomorrow. The first was in 2002, losing 0-1 against Recre, a goal from Gallego. The following season it was also a single match, this time at the hands of Valladolid (1-3). On 07-08, with the Almeria team already in First Division and with another cup format, Levante won (2-1) in the first leg and Almería was unable to come back in the second leg (1-1), while in the 09-10 exercise there was no comeback against Hercules (2-1 and 1-0). For its part, in 11-12, Osasuna prevented the Almeria from going to the second round by winning 1-3 and 1-1.
Almería did leave the path on track the following year when they beat Celta (2-0) in the first leg, but Javi Gracia’s men fell in Balaídos when Roberto Lago forced extra time in 89 ‘and De Lucas avoided penalties in 109’, with Real Madrid waiting in the quarterfinals. The last time the UDA was eliminated in the round of 32 was in the 18-19 season, when Villarreal rolled in the second leg, 8-0, after 3-3 in the first leg. Thus, taking a look at the history, the prize that the Rubi have tomorrow is not at all usual in Indálica history.