Andorra Sports Teams Teeter on Relegation Brink After Losses
MoraBanc Andorra hit fourth straight Liga ACB defeat to Baskonia, while FC Andorra falls 2-1 to Ceuta in LaLiga Hypermotion, both exposing set-piece.
Key Points
- MoraBanc Andorra lost heavily to Baskonia, now 4-10, one win from safety; defensive rebounding cited as key issue.
- Coach Plaza praised effort, transition play but slammed 16 second-chance points allowed.
- FC Andorra fell 2-1 to Ceuta on set-piece goals, 14th with 24 pts, 2 above relegation.
- FC Andorra coach Manso highlighted dominance but small errors; Jastin García injured, face Cultural Leonesa next.
**MoraBanc Andorra on the brink after fourth straight loss**
MoraBanc Andorra suffered a heavy defeat to Baskonia in Vitoria on Wednesday, extending their losing streak to four games and leaving them perilously close to the relegation zone in the Liga ACB. The team now has just four wins from 14 matches, sitting second from bottom and only one victory behind Burgos, which climbed out of danger with recent successes over Gran Canaria and Granada.
Coach Joan Plaza praised his players' effort despite the loss at Buesa Arena. "I'm proud of how we worked and competed," he said, highlighting positives like effective transition play and strong interior scoring. Aaron Best started at point guard and played 25 minutes for a 14 efficiency rating, while Justin McKoy logged 22 minutes with a 10 rating. However, Plaza pinpointed defensive rebounding as a "serious" ongoing issue, with Baskonia scoring 16 second-chance points—a figure he called excessive. "It penalises us, and even with a good showing, you end up losing," he noted, adding that overlooked small details compound the problem. The team also recorded one of its lowest turnover counts in years.
Andorra faces a tough home doubleheader ahead: Real Madrid, the league leaders with just two losses, on Sunday at 7pm, followed by mid-table Río Breogán the next weekend at Toni Martí arena.
**FC Andorra laments set-piece woes in narrow Ceuta loss**
FC Andorra kicked off the new year with a 2-1 defeat to Ceuta in LaLiga Hypermotion matchday 20, dropping to 14th place with 24 points—two clear of relegation, currently occupied by Real Sociedad B on 22.
Coach Carles Manso acknowledged strong spells of dominance and chance creation but stressed failures on small details, particularly set pieces. Both Ceuta goals came from corners during dead-ball situations, the first such concessions from corners this season. "If we don't master these little details, we'll keep suffering," Manso said. "We've done many things well—like being direct and generating opportunities—but to compete, we can't shoot ourselves in the foot."
The team struggled early with Ceuta's slow tempo and physical approach but improved after Manu Nieto's penalty goal, though the response came too late. Manso noted recent progress in attacking depth, especially late on, and praised the squad's attitude. Overall, Andorra has conceded seven of 28 goals from set plays—penalties, free kicks, and now corners—despite matching that tally scored. Individual errors, including from goalkeeper Yaakobishvili, and lapses in build-up have also hurt.
Jastin García limped off in the 59th minute with an ankle injury, pending scans that could sideline the in-form Girona loanee for weeks. The squad returns to training Thursday ahead of Saturday's 4.15pm home clash with relegation rival Cultural Leonesa at Nou Estadi de la FAF in Encamp—a must-win to build breathing room and boost faltering finishing, with strikers Lautaro de León (four goals) and Nieto (three) under scrutiny. Winter signings like Edgar González loom as potential boosts.
Original Sources
This article was aggregated from the following Catalan-language sources:
- Diari d'Andorra•
L’FC Andorra passa pàgina i ja pensa en la Cultural
- Diari d'Andorra•
Corregir la pilota aturada
- Diari d'Andorra•
El rebot defensiu, cabdal en la derrota del MoraBanc
- Altaveu•
A tancar el primer tram amb un somriure esperant el gol
- El Periòdic•
El MoraBanc Andorra encadena quatre derrotes i se situa a tan sols una victòria del descens que marca el Burgos
- El Periòdic•
Manso, després de la derrota: “Si no dominem els petits detalls continuarem patint en aquestes accions”