Rubi's Defensive Headache: Almería Boss Faces Selection Crisis
With injuries and suspensions decimating Almería's backline, manager Rubi faces a proper selection nightmare ahead of their crucial clash with Burgos.
The Almería gaffer finds himself in a proper pickle this weekend with his defensive options thinner than a supermodel on a juice cleanse.
Defensive Crisis Deepens
Talk about being caught short at the back! Rubi’s defensive options for Sunday’s clash against Burgos have been absolutely decimated, leaving the manager with what can only be described as a selection nightmare of biblical proportions.
The perfect storm of problems includes:
- Bonini sidelined with a quad injury picked up against Andorra
- Nelson Monte suspended after collecting his fifth yellow card
- Chumi approaching two months on the treatment table with ankle ligament damage
This defensive crisis leaves Rubi with just one senior centre-back available - and that’s where things get even more complicated.
The Aridane Dilemma
Aridane Hernández is technically the only fit senior centre-back, but his availability comes with serious baggage. The Canary Islander was recently disciplined by the club following an off-field incident before the Andorra match where he failed an alcohol test and crashed his car into six different vehicles before a training session.
The defender made a tearful public apology on Tuesday, but the Almería faithful remain absolutely fuming. Rubi now faces the unenviable task of deciding whether sporting necessity trumps disciplinary concerns.
The Alternatives
With his back against the wall, Rubi must get creative with his defensive setup. The options on the table include:
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Pedro Fidel: The B-team defender has trained with the first team all season but at just 18 years old, his inexperience has shown in recent appearances, particularly in cup competitions.
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Álex Muñoz: The full-back has previous experience at centre-back, having played there on opening day against Albacete - though that experiment ended with Almería shipping four goals. Not exactly a ringing endorsement, that one.
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Baba: Perhaps the most likely alternative after impressing at centre-back against Racing Santander, despite coming back from a nine-month absence due to an ACL injury.
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Dzodic: The Serbian has been used as a makeshift centre-back during pre-season but has since established himself in midfield, making this the least likely option.
Whichever way Rubi decides to go, he’s facing one of those managerial decisions that’s about as welcome as a pork pie at a bar mitzvah. The gaffer’s bread and butter will be on the line when Almería host Burgos on Sunday with this patched-up defence.