UD Las Palmas began this Monday its second phase of preseason at the Marbella Football Center, with 32 players called up by Rubén de la Barrera. The Canary team will play four friendlies until July 31.
The town of Marbella in Malaga is once again the setting for the summer preparation of a La Liga team. UD Las Palmas has started this Monday its traditional stage at the Marbella Football Center, where it will remain until July 31. The yellow team, led by Rubén de la Barrera, has brought 32 players for this training camp, where they will combine physical work with the first friendlies of the preseason.
The Canary expedition arrived in Marbella with the heat as both a main ally and enemy. Temperatures on the Costa del Sol range between 22 and 29 degrees, with a slightly higher thermal sensation due to the intense sun. Conditions that, according to club sources, are familiar to the players after previous seasons in which they have also held training camps in the area.
Double Sessions and First Friendlies
The training plan designed by the Galician coach started this afternoon at 18:00 with the first session at the Marbella Football Center facilities. From tomorrow, the team will undergo double training sessions at 8:30 and 18:00 until Sunday. However, on Wednesday, the evening session will be replaced by the first friendly against the Orlando Pirates from South Africa, and on Saturday by the second, against Al-Ittihad from Saudi Arabia. Both matches will take place at 18:00 and can be followed on Televisión Canaria.
In addition to the two confirmed friendlies, the training camp will include two more matches, yet to be announced, which will help De la Barrera shape the starting eleven and assess the players ahead of the league debut against Albacete, scheduled for August 16 at the Gran Canaria Stadium. The Galician coach has highlighted the importance of these weeks to “gain competitive rhythm and establish tactical concepts.”
The Uncertainty of Horkas and New Faces
One of the focal points of attention in the Marbella training camp is the situation of goalkeeper Dinko Horkas. The Balkan goalkeeper, valued by the yellow club at 10 million euros, is still on the market, and Celtic Glasgow is the main club interested in his services, although the offer has not yet reached the required amount. His release clause is 30 million, but the club would be willing to negotiate for an amount close to the valuation. Meanwhile, Horkas is training normally and could participate in the friendlies if his departure is not finalised.
Fans who come to the Marbella Football Center will be able to see in action the three only confirmed signings to date: midfielder Mateo Acimovic, defender Andrés Rodríguez, and the return of midfielder Sergio Ruiz, who is back after his time at Granada. It will also be an opportunity to see the rock and roll proposal of Rubén de la Barrera, an intense and vertical playing style that the coach wants to implement this season. The four friendlies will be key to assessing the players and fine-tuning the needs for reinforcements before the market closes.
For the local public, the presence of a La Liga team in Marbella is a tourist and sporting incentive. The Marbella Football Center, which has already hosted training camps for other clubs such as Borussia Dortmund and Atlético de Madrid, reinforces its position as a reference destination for elite preseason training. Locals and holidaymakers will be able to watch training sessions for free from the stands of the facilities, a perfect plan for football lovers in the middle of summer.
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