Andorra's Manso Braces for 'War' at Unbeaten Sabadell in Young Coaches' Rivalry

FC Andorra face a tough challenge at unbeaten Sabadell on Saturday at 18:30, with manager Carles Manso expecting a fierce battle against his former colleague Ferran Costa in a bid for a second straight league win.

Manso, speaking ahead of the match at Nova Creu Alta, described it as a "war" and stressed the need for full focus after last week's 3-2 victory at Granada ended a five-game losing run. That result lifted Andorra out of the relegation zone and brought relief to the squad, but he warned that any drop in intensity against the hosts' high-pressing, collective style would be costly. "We know it will be a complicated match and we must realise that if we slip even a little, it will hurt us," he said. He praised Sabadell as a historic Catalan side with a strong professional pedigree that deserves its place in the division and boasts a potent squad.

Sabadell, newly promoted, have won all three home games this season and remain unbeaten in their last six outings—three wins, three draws—with only one loss overall, to Mallorca. They have conceded just six goals in total. The fixture revives a rivalry between the league's youngest coaches: Manso, 33, and Costa, 32. The pair's history dates back to Manso's time assisting Costa at Andorra, plus a hard-fought pre-season friendly that the visitors recall vividly.

Costa adopted a more measured tone, rejecting the "war" label. "I don't think the word war fits a football match," he said. Reflecting on his Andorra spell, he added that it taught him to trust his own judgement, insisting he is capable and that things usually go well when he follows his instincts. Both men acknowledged their teams' shared hunger for victory amid differing tactics.

Manso is likely to repeat the back-five formation that succeeded at Granada, with centrals Bomba, Spatz and Alende, supported by wing-backs. Forwards Jordi Cano and Nacho Quintana impressed last time, while set-piece defence is key after Granada's two goals from dead balls.

Andorra regain goalkeeper Jesús Owono and Hugo López from international duty, but Randy Schneider joins Gael Alonso and Théo Le Normand on the sidelines. Sabadell are without Bonaldo, Fornés, Moreno and Gioacchini through injury. Around 300 Andorra fans are expected to travel.

Separately, Castelló complained that Andorra is not selling away tickets in the home end for next week's clash, but the club cited LaLiga rules requiring visitors in designated sections.

Probable lineups:

CE Sabadell (Ferran Costa): Fuoli; Ripoll, Català, Óscar Sanz, Èdgar González, Codina; Urri, Pere Pons, Liameed, Priego, Valles.

FC Andorra (Carles Manso): Owono; Carrique, Bomba, Spatz, Alende, Martí Vilà; Molina, Marc Domènech, Akman; Nacho Quintana, Jordi Cano.

Referee to be confirmed. Venue: Nova Creu Alta, Sabadell.