Perhaps it is a metaphor for the new times that are coming, but in the Vallobín sports center a new parquet has been shining for a few weeks. A premiere floor for a new category that the Unión Financiera Base Oviedo opens today against Ikasa Madrid (6:30 p.m.).
A high adventure, because the Oviedo club is preparing for the most demanding experience in its 29-year history after being promoted to the Silver Division of Honor last year. He has never played so close to the highest category, just one rung from the Asobal League, the highest in national handball. In the template vertigo is not breathed. Yes, maybe more responsibility. “You can see that we are in a higher category in terms of physical load, because we have much more,” says Juan Echevarría, “Juanín”, one of the captains of Unión Financiera Base Oviedo, who has been with the club for 21 seasons.
“At the training level we are already verifying that the season will be tougher, we have noticed a change,” says Nacho Huerta, another captain and emblem of the team, who will complete his sixth consecutive season in the Base Oviedo first team, in which he is his second cover in the club.
The changes are evident, caused by the higher degree of demand. For example: the training sessions have started fifteen days earlier than last year and now there is a double session, more hours in the gym and special attention to the videos and analysis of the rival. “Everything is becoming a bit more professional,” Huerta summarizes.
Vallobin has also undergone a facelift beyond the parquet: there are extra stands and new seats. All to encourage people to go to Vallobín in a season that seems to be suffering. “Many teams are relegated and we have to make ourselves strong at home against our direct rivals. Against them we cannot escape any point in Vallobín, we have to make a fort”. Juanín shares his opinion: “The goal is to keep up and against our direct rivals we can’t let any points slip away. We have to approach the matches as finals”.
The operation of the season has its that. In División de Honor Plata there are two groups with nine teams each. The matches are round trip and the best four from each group will fight for promotion in the second phase.
The five worst will do it for not descending. In total, two teams are promoted and five are relegated, the last of the second phase. The direct duels will be fundamental, since in the second phase results are dragged, but only from the teams that play for the same objective. That causes the clashes with direct rivals to be decisive, because it will be of no use to the Financial Union, which will predictably fight for permanence, to win a rooster if later it does not pay off against those of “its League”.
Huerta is aware of the difficulty, he even calls for breaking a dangerous stat.
“The newly promoted usually go down, but we are here to break those numbers. The previous feeling we have regarding the objective is to seek to maintain the category, which will not be easy. We have made a competitive squad,” explains Huerta. The Financial Union opted for a policy of continuity.
Ricardo Margareto, architect of the promotion, continues to lead a team that has four signings: Raúl Blanco, Pablo del Rincón, Sergio Sarasola and the Brazilian Paulo Vinicius. “The new ones are adapting because we haven’t been training for a long time yet,” explains Huerta.
“They have been great additions,” says Juanín. A few hours before the start of the competition, in the Vallobín sports center calm and illusion are perceived. The squad seems very united and the signings are happy. Pepe Rionda, the president of the Unión Financiera Base Oviedo, walks around the new parquet floor thinking about the game. “You feel like playing.” Today, first stop.
Vetusta starts today against Santoña
The Vetusta Handball kicks off this afternoon the season in the First National against Santoña (18.30), one of the most powerful teams in the entire category and which will be a tough nut to crack for the team from Oviedo. On the other hand, the First Men’s Handball Division begins with a derby for the two teams from Gijón, Grupo IMQ, which in this case will be the host, and Finetwork Gijón, in a match that will be played from 8:00 p.m. at the Braulio Garcia. The Finetwork wants to be at the top and the IMQ Group seeks to stay.
