Unicaja Baloncesto travels to Jaén to face Liga ACB rival UCAM Murcia this Thursday at the Olivo Arena, featuring a 20:00 local time tip-off for the preseason exhibition match. According to regional press reports, the fixture serves as the I Trofeo Alfonso Sánchez Delgado – Diputación de Jaén, organized by the Jaén Club Baloncesto, and marks a critical penultimate test for the Málaga club ahead of the upcoming domestic campaign.
Preseason Stakes and Match Schedule at the Olivo Arena
Thursday’s matchup against UCAM Murcia arrives at a packed juncture of Unicaja’s preparation calendar under Txus Vidorreta. Records show that the squad convened for medical exams and training sessions in mid-August to build out the new project. The fixture in Jaén represents one of six total preparatory tests slated for the team, following outings in the Torneo Costa del Sol against La Laguna Tenerife and Real Madrid.
For UCAM Murcia, led by Sito Alonso, the exhibition arrives with a renovated roster compared to the previous campaign. According to local reports, the Murcian side arrives in Andalusia following a prior friendly fixture against MoraBanc Andorra. The encounter at the Olivo Arena provides both coaching staffs an opportunity to evaluate rotational depth and tactical adaptations just weeks before the official league tip-off.
Broadcast Details and Fan Attendance Factors
Logistical hurdles have shaped the buildup to Thursday’s contest. Regional coverage highlights that the start time of the game overlaps partially with a football fixture between Málaga and Villarreal scheduled for 21:30 local time. That scheduling conflict is anticipated by local observers to impact traveling support from Málaga fans making the trip north to Jaén.
In addition to attendance considerations, broadcast arrangements experienced late confirmation. Outlets covering the team noted that while the televising of the match remained in question for days, the exhibition is expected to air via YouTube streaming. Meanwhile, ticketing for the event opened through the Jaén CB online platform, with a flat general admission price set at 16 euros—comprising a 15-euro ticket base plus a one-euro management fee—across all seating categories from VIP rows to the upper tiers of the arena.
Pathways to the Liga Endesa Opener
Once the final whistle sounds at the Olivo Arena, Unicaja will turn its attention immediately toward the final fixture of the preseason slate. The squad is scheduled to travel north to Santiago de Compostela to face Monbus Obradoiro on Sunday at 12:20 local time in the Torneo Xacobeo. That match completes the summer preparation phase before the official league schedule begins.
The domestic competition officially gets underway for Unicaja on Sunday, September 27, when Vidorreta’s squad travels to face Real Madrid at 19:00 local time. With the league calendar presenting high-stakes tests right out of the gate, Thursday’s clash in Jaén offers an essential baseline for the club’s early-season cohesion.
Worth a look
