Previews
SAT 13.12.2014
FC Barcelona B – CD Mirandés (6 pm CET)
The matchday kicks off with the visit of a solid Rojillos side to the Miniestadi Stadium where the home side have not won in three rounds. A clash with plenty of intensity given the parity of the two teams in the table.
Carlos Terrazas, who will travel with his whole squad available, sent out a clear message to his players going into the match: "We have to be consistent from the first minute to the final whistle". And the manager from Bilbao wants to maintain his team’s good run of form, with three victories in five matchdays without conceding a goal. Eusebio Sacristán’s matchday squad will not include the injured Lucas Gafarot and Wilfrid Kaptoum. Macky Bagnack will miss the match due to an accumulation of yellow cards.
R. Racing C. – R. Sporting (6 pm CET)
Abelardo’s men, second in the table and just a point behind Las Palmas, will defend their unbeaten record against an opposition on a run of two straight defeats and looking over their shoulders at the danger zone.
The Asturian manager, who will be without the injured Álex Serrano and suspended Álex Menéndez, praised his counterpart Paco Fernández for the work he is doing: “Paco is a coach who gets a lot out of his teams. His teams are very good defensively. They tend to sit back and play with tight lines; they don’t leave many gaps”. For the Verdiblancos, Francis Pérez, Álvaro and Koné will be unavailable through injury.
CD Lugo – R. Betis (6.15 pm CET)
Lugo welcome a Betis who have started to recover from their poor run of games with two victories in the last two rounds. Manager Juan Merino alluded to it: “We see it as being in another final; we’re not thinking about our two wins on the trot”.
The home side, meanwhile, have a difficult task, needing to get back on track after their latest 2-1 defeat against Sporting at El Molinón. Local players Dani Mallo, David de Coz, Ernesto and Luis Fernández will be unavailable through injury, while academy youngster Fabián is included in the Verdiblancos matchday squad for the first time.
RC Recreativo – UD Las Palmas (8 pm CET)
In the last match on the Saturday, the Canary Islands side will defend their leadership of the competition against a Recreativo who have conceded three defeats in as many matchdays. Pedro Ríos, Navas and Antonio Domínguez come into the matchday squad selected by José Luis Oltra. Alvaro Antón, on the other hand, will be unavailable for this difficult clash.
Visiting manager Paco Herrera mentioned his team’s “determination to beat Recreativo. They’re a very solid unit who counter-attack fast, so it will be another game that could be a stumbling block”, said the Catalan manager in the press conference.
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