Etxeberria heaps praise on Umar ahead of weekend Clash

The former Real Sociedad man is aware of the threat the Super Eagles striker poses as he takes his team to the Estadio de Los Juegos Mediterraneos this weekend

Mirandes boss Joseba Etxeberria believes Almeria forward Sadiq Umar is a first-class striker, and his team will have to bring their best defensive game to ensure they do not concede when they take on Almeria on Sunday.

Etxeberria just took over the reins at Mirandes five days ago, and his first task would be to get a result against the second-best team in the Spanish Laliga2 this season- Almeria.

Mirandes would be up against a Umar-led Almeria attack which has scored 42 goals this season, the highest in the league.

Umar is one of the deadliest attackers in the Spanish second division, with ten goals in 22 games. The Mirandes boss recognises his quality, and he believes they would have to deal with the Umar threat if they are to get anything from the game.

“Umar is a first-rate centre-forward,” Etxeberria said at the pre-match presser, as per La Voz de Almeria.

“With good defensive mechanisms, we will be more reliable, and apart from that, we have to keep our vigilance to the maximum.”

Nonetheless, Umar would look to add to his goal tally as Mirandes have the second-worst defence in the Laliga2