Almería lose Cipenga and Dzodic due to FIFA break

Almería are already feeling the first FIFA break of the season. According to MARCA, the club will miss two key players—Stefan Dzodic and Brian Cipenga—because they’ve been called up with their national teams.

Direct impact on LaLiga 2

Serbia’s call-up means Stefan Dzodic will not be available for the league games against Mallorca on 27 September and Burgos on 3 October.

Serbia’s Nations League fixtures include matches against Greece on 24 September, Netherlands on 27 September, another clash with Netherlands on 4 October, and Germany on 1 October.

Cipenga also leaves

Brian Cipenga is also unavailable for the short term. MARCA says he’s been selected by the DR Congo squad for the early qualification matches for the next Africa Cup, held in summer 2027. His team will play Equatorial Guinea and Zimbabwe, which keeps him out vs Mallorca.

However, his next league availability is different: MARCA notes he is not in the second list of call-ups for the friendlies in South Africa against Uganda, so he could be available for the home game vs Burgos.

Who stays and who might return

Good news for the squad: goalkeeper Áron Yaakobishvili hasn’t been called up by Hungary and will keep training with Almería.

MARCA also flags uncertainty over Quim Junyent. He wasn’t picked for Spain’s U-21, but could be called up by the U-20 for the friendly vs Mexico on 30 September in Ceuta. In any case, García Pimienta said a possible call-up wouldn’t stop the player from featuring in league matches. MARCA adds that Pimienta asked in the press room for “the league to stop” because many Segunda players end up going to international duty and “it shouldn’t be like that.”