Córdoba CF coach Iván Ania excited for home debut against Sevilla FC

Córdoba CF will play its first home match of the pre-season this Thursday at 9:00 PM at the Bahrain Victorious Nuevo Arcángel. Thousands of white-and-green supporters are expected to attend a high-level encounter, as the team faces Sevilla FC—a Primera División side with an impressive track record, despite recent difficulties.

Andalusian Derby

The match marks the fourth edition of the Puertas de Córdoba Trophy. More importantly, it will serve as a key test for Iván Ania's Córdoba CF, as the coach begins his fourth pre-season at the helm—an unprecedented milestone in the club's 72-year history. Ania faces a major challenge: taking the step forward needed to bring the team closer to the promotion playoff spots.

Speaking to the club's media, Ania said he was "happy" with the pre-season so far. "We are introducing, as in all preseasons, physical work and also tactical work," the Asturian explained. "The players are assimilating concepts and we still have a long way to go. We are in the third week, we have another three weeks of preseason, but we are happy with how the players are receiving the ideas."

Ania on the Sevilla Clash

Iván Ania also commented on Thursday's match against Luis García Plaza's Sevilla FC. "It's an exciting match, facing a First Division rival in our stadium," he said. "For many it will be their first match at El Arcángel, and that is always important—that first impression, both the impression the player has of the stadium and the impression the fans have of the new players."

The Córdoba CF coach expressed hope that his team would play "a good match, that above all the team's identity is seen, what we want from the team this season, and if it can be accompanied by a good result, so much the better." However, he cautioned that "in preseason, results are not what matters."

Source: Diario Córdoba