Almeria vs Real Valladolid Predictions & Match Preview

Almeria vs Real Valladolid predictions and match preview for Sunday’s LaLiga fixture. Read on for analysis, team news and predicted lineups ahead of this key relegation showdown.

Almeria vs Real Valladolid Preview

This is a relegation six-pointer in every sense as Almeria and Real Valladolid face off on the penultimate weekend of the LaLiga season. It’s 15th vs 18th but with only one point separating the two teams who both also have games against fellow relegation candidates next weekend in what promises to be a dramatic and very tense end to the campaign at the bottom.

This relegation scrap looks set to go to the wire, but this feels like a really good opportunity for Almeria to secure their place in the top flight for next season. Victory would push them onto 42 points and would guarantee their safety and you got the sense that even in midweek when they lost 1-0 at Real Sociedad, everything was building up to this match.

In some respects, the red card and subsequent two game suspension dished out to forward Luis Suarez in Donostia, was every bit as damaging as the result. The Colombian left the pitch in the 1st Half in a sea of rage and his coach must now try to find a new solution in attack here with Largie Ramazani most likely to come in as the central striker. Almeria do have other sources of goals though as we saw in spectacular fashion last weekend with Lazaro’s hat-trick defeating Mallorca 3-0.

Real Valladolid also put in one of their best performances of the season in midweek as they beat an admittedly out of sorts Barcelona side 3-1 at the Jose Zorrilla. That ended a five game losing streak and was a much needed lifeline in their pursuit of survival. They are in the relegation zone as it stands, but whatever happens here, they’ll still be alive going into next weekend when they play host to fellow strugglers Getafe.

Some form of result here would make things a lot easier for Paulo Pezzolano’s side in that game though. They’ve blown hot and cold a bit since appointing the Uruguayan with some promising attacking play but also some very sloppy defending at times.

Team News & Possible Lineups

Almeria

Possible XI: Fernando – Centelles, Ely, Babic, Pozo – Robertone, Melero, De La Hoz – Embarba, Ramazani, Lazaro (4-3-3)

Coach: Rubi

Real Valladolid

Possible XI: Masip – Olaza, Torres, Javi Sanchez, Fresneda – Hongla, Mesa – Machis, Plano, Plata – Larin (4-2-3-1)

Coach: Paulo Pezzolano

Score Prediction: Almeria 2-1 Real Valladolid

The absence of Luis Suarez is a big blow for Almeria but they’ve only dropped two points all season at home to teams currently in the bottom half of the table. That’s a fantastic record to have and that ability to win these kinds of home relegation six pointers suggests they are certainly the more likely victors here.

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