Borja: "The Derby Against Hércules Will Be a Celebration of Alicante Football"

The Alicante-born winger Borja Martínez is one of the three former Hércules players now playing for Intercity who will return to Rico Pérez on Saturday dressed in black. The attacker, used as a substitute by Alejandro Sandroni in the first two matches, is preparing thoroughly for the clash with hopes of starting.

"This derby that has emerged in recent years is an incentive for the city; it's positive. As an Alicante native, having two teams from the same city in high categories is beneficial. We hope it will be a celebration of football in Alicante, that people come to cheer on their team, have a good time, and we will try to secure the victory," stated Borja.

The 30-year-old winger was relegated last season with Teruel to Segunda RFEF but finished the campaign with nine goals, which drew Intercity's attention to strengthen their attack. Borja played for Hércules in three different stints but never managed to establish himself consistently, either due to the pressure of being a local talent or because the seasons were particularly challenging at a group level, with many coaching changes and a tense atmosphere.

"It's a special match because I was at Hércules during different stages; I grew up there as a player and had very good moments. But now I defend Intercity's interests, and the important thing is the three points. I think we've started well and hope to continue helping the team," commented Borja. "We know the greatness of Hércules' fans and their social following, so we will experience a beautiful atmosphere at Rico Pérez," he added.

On another note, Borja lamented the two points that slipped away from Intercity against Atlético de Madrid B in the 95th minute, preventing Sandroni's team from leading Group II of Primera RFEF alone. "We are looking forward to Saturday's match, which is very exciting. The initial feeling was one of defeat, but as days go by, you value the point more. It always hurts to lose this way, but we've recovered and are focused on the match against Hércules, a tough opponent, a great team that will go all out," he affirmed.

Borja made his debut with Hércules' first team in the 12-13 season at 18 years old under Quique Hernández. At the end of that season in Segunda División, he was transferred to Espanyol. In the 19-20 season, he returned home after standing out at Elche but failed to consolidate himself.