Almeria’s quest for their first victory in the 2023-24 La Liga season continues this Saturday as they host Las Palmas at the Power Horse Stadium.
Almeria finds themselves in a challenging position, having garnered only three points from their ten league matches, placing them 20th in the table. On the other hand, Las Palmas is positioned 12th, with 11 points from their first ten games.
Match Preview
Almeria’s current La Liga campaign has seen them fail to secure a win, with three draws and seven defeats from their ten matches, leaving them at the bottom of the division with just three points.
Their defense has been a significant concern, having conceded 29 goals, including five in a recent 5-2 loss to Girona.
Gaizka Garitano took over as the head coach on October 8 and had an immediate introduction to the challenges that lay ahead in keeping the team in La Liga for the 2024-25 season.
The previous season saw Almeria narrowly escape relegation, finishing 17th on the final weekend, hinting at a challenging season for the club.
Las Palmas, on the other hand, has had a mixed season, with three losses in their last four league matches.
However, they have been resilient at home, with two consecutive draws, indicating the potential for an exciting match with goals.
Interestingly, Las Palmas has the fewest goals scored in the division, with only six.
The last two encounters between these teams ended in draws during the 2021-22 Segunda Division campaign, and Almeria remains unbeaten against Las Palmas since October 2020.
Las Palmas has been remarkable defensively this season, conceding just nine goals, making them the third-best in the league behind Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid.
Garcia Pimienta’s side has recently gained momentum, winning three of their last five league matches, including victories over Granada, Celta Vigo, and Villarreal.
Las Palmas enters this match after a 1-0 home loss to Rayo Vallecano, resulting in a record of three wins, two draws, and five losses from their ten games this season.
They currently have 11 points, sitting five points above the relegation zone and six points behind the top six.
While Las Palmas has struggled away from home, losing four of their five away matches in La Liga this season, they did secure a 2-1 victory over Villarreal in their recent road fixture.
La Liga Form
Almeria: L, D, L, D, L, L
Las Palmas: L, W, L, W, W, L
Team News
Almeria is currently dealing with several injuries, with Sergio Akieme, Edgar Gonzalez, Marc Pubill, Luis Suarez, Martin Svidersky, and Ibrahima Kone sidelined.
Head coach Garitano is expected to make changes to the starting XI, with Chumi and Gonzalo Melero potentially coming in. Leo Baptistao is set to start as the center-forward.
Las Palmas will be missing Fabio Gonzalez, Sandro Ramirez, Eric Curbelo, and Omenuke Mfulu for the clash with Almeria.
Head coach Garcia Pimienta is working on finding the right combination in the final third, with Marc Cardona leading the goal-scoring charts, and Jonathan Viera contributing with two goals.
Marc Cardona is expected to feature in the final third for Las Palmas, with Munir El Haddadi likely retaining his position in a wide role.
Possible Starting Lineups
Almeria:
Martinez;
Pozo, Montes, Kaiky, Centelles;
Baba, Chumi; Arribas, Melero, Embarba;
Baptistao
Las Palmas:
Valles;
Suarez, Coco, Marmol, S Cardona;
Pejino, Munoz, K Rodriguez, Loiodice, El Haddadi;
M Cardona
Prediction
Las Palmas boasts a solid defense but struggles to score, while Almeria’s goal-scoring woes make it challenging to back them for a win. Points are likely to be shared in this encounter.
We predict a 1-1 draw between Almeria and Las Palmas.
