Andorra could not continue extending their good run of results and fell at Girona's stadium, but after the convincing victory two weeks ago in Encamp against Castellón, another of the category's top teams, the tricolors know that the best way to keep growing as a team and move away from the dangerous zone of the table is to become strong at home.
This Monday's challenge is extremely tough, but this team has already shown that it is in the big stages where they bring out their best version. Burgos, tomorrow's opponent on Monday evening, arrives in the Principality after narrowly defeating Sabadell, a victory that has placed them close to the promotion playoff zone.
On the verge of the 'play-off'
The Castilians already know what it means to fight for the top spots on the table, as last year they were close to playing in the promotion playoffs. Burgos, then coached by Luis Miguel Ramis, missed out on the playoff positions due to goal difference with Castellón; 72 points that in most years would have been enough to compete for promotion but were insufficient last season.
This year, despite losing their top scorer Fer Niño, who has moved up to the First Division, the team has maintained the structure and core of last season despite a change on the bench with the arrival of former Real Sociedad coach Sergio Francisco. Additionally, in the offensive department, they have added quality players such as Álex Forés (3 goals), former tricolor Jon Karrikaburu (2), and Javi Llabrés (1).
Recent precedents
Andorra and Burgos have faced each other in five of the last seven seasons, coinciding with the four seasons of the tricolor team in professional football and the Copa del Rey match of the 2020/21 season with Nacho Castro on the Andorra bench.
In the last precedent in the Principality, Andorra won 2-1 in the first match of the season played in Encamp. Minsu and Marc Domènech, after an excellent collective play, were the scorers of the tricolor goals.
Before the reformation of the current Burgos CF, both teams had also faced each other in the Segunda División B during the 82/83 and 85/86 seasons. In total, in the eleven precedents, Andorra has achieved three victories, Burgos five, while there have been three draws.
Miranda Bolaño will referee the match
Making his debut in the category, the 33-year-old Extremaduran referee Daniel Miranda Bolaño will officiate the match. He will be accompanied on the sidelines by assistants González Narváez and Ramos Cinos, while the fourth official will be Bárcenas Torres. In the VAR, Trujillo Suárez and Gálvez Rascón.
With no previous matches involving Andorra, this season Miranda Bolaño has officiated a total of five matches in LaLiga Hypermotion, with four home victories and one away win. In total, the Extremaduran referee has issued – not counting bench warnings – 27 yellow cards and two red cards, both concentrated in the Ceuta-Real Sociedad B match.
Sergio Francisco: "We will have to be a united team"
With the confirmed absences of Lencina, David González, and Appin, the team from Burgos arrives in the Principality today with clear ideas. In the pre-match press conference for this matchday 11, coach Sergio Francisco described Andorra as a team that is "intense, aggressive, presses forward, and is one of the most comfortable with the ball." "We will have to be a united team and accept that we will spend many stretches without the ball," he added.
On the other hand, in the press conference you can find in the following video, Carles Manso also praised the Burgos team, describing them as one of the favorites to fight for the play-off: "They are one of the most challenging teams in the league," he said.
Andorra will wear a bracelet dedicated to the Fair
For tomorrow's match and coinciding with the weekend of the 47th edition of the Andorra la Vella Fair, the tricolor captain will wear a commemorative bracelet dedicated to this historic event, one of the most important in the country.
Last Friday, during the inauguration of the Fair, the club already presented one of these bracelets to Sergi González, the mayor of Andorra la Vella.
Activities are also expected before the start of the match, including a performance by the animation group Golden Isards and the presentation of a commemorative jersey to Sergio Molina after completing 200 matches with Andorra.
Alende and Marc Domènech, suspended
The suspensions of Diego Alende and Marc Domènech, who received their fifth yellow card in the last matchday, are the two major updates for this matchday's squad. On the positive side, Bomba has already completed parts of the training with the group and could be available again.
The final squad list, however, will be announced after tomorrow morning's activation session at the Estadi Comunal.
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