Almeria have endured a difficult campaign in the Primera Division, but there may yet be unlikely glory ahead for the side who currently reside bottom of the standings. Having dispatched Deportivo La Coruna on Wednesday evening, the Andalucians have progressed to the Copa del Rey semi-finals, though there is arguably a more pressing engagement waiting for them at the weekend against Osasuna.
The wind is in the sails of Jose Luis Oltra’s unit. Even looking up at all the elite Spanish teams, they can do so with renewed optimism after the events of the last 10 days. Not only have Deportivo La Coruna been beaten twice, mighty Real Madrid were held at the Estadio del Mediterraneo.
Though Oltra said in his post-match interviews that his side will “fight to the death” to defeat Barcelona in the forthcoming Copa encounters, he has also acknowledged that Almeria’s first “priority” has to be securing their top flight status.
If the southerners are to enjoy another season amongst Spain’s best then they simply have to improve their form at home. Almeria are the only side not to have chalked up a solitary victory on home soil this term, with a catalogue of draws failing to lift them above their lowly standing. Wins have to start coming, ideally on Sunday.
Too Loose
Jose Antonio Camacho’s Osasuna have, over the course of the mid-winter months, transformed from being a tenacious mid-table outfit into a unit who look destined to spend the rest of the season flirting with relegation. Los Rojillos have failed to win in seven attempts, and the only solace they could draw from last weekend’s 4-2 reverse against injury-hit Villarreal was that they found the net for the first time in three games.
Under Camacho, the Pamplona club have generally boasted a solid defensive unit, but the coach’s comments after the loss at El Madrigal help to explain why there has been such a recent slump in their fortunes.
“I’m getting used to conceding goals,” the former Spain boss groaned. “The team is very bad at stopping the ball, and [Saturday] was a clear example of this. We played, we created danger, but we can’t be so loose with the defensive aspects of our game.
“We need to win more. And above all we need to keep working on our defence.”
Only on three occasions this season have Osasuna lost a goal and gone on to pick up points, highlighting just how paramount their defensive concentration is if even a draw is to be claimed.
TEAM NEWS
Almeria
Hernan Pellerano wasn’t expected to take the field in midweek, but he shrugged off a knock and carried on regardless. Santiago Acasiete is another man to recently come back into contention having overcome a calf problem. Miguel Angel Nieto is still toiling.
Modeste M’Bami is suspended.
Osasuna
Coro and Alvaro Cejudo have both joined the club this week, though the latter has an injury and won’t be able to debut immediately. It may be a month before the ex-Las Palmas man can feature.
There is little fresh news to report on the injury front; Nacho Monreal, Ruper, Walter Pandiani and Medina are missing.
Prediction
Six of Almeria’s nine home games have ended level, and though Osasuna are on the slide, the Pamplona outfit will fancy their chances of picking up a point on Sunday. Few teams are grittier than los Rojillos, and though Almeria do have some players capable of unpicking awkward locks, their record in front of goal is uninspiring.
Almeria 1-1 Osasuna 
