Preview: Almeria vs. Espanyol - prediction, team news, lineups

The visitors are currently 13th in the table, boasting 20 points from their opening 18 games of the season, while Almeria sit 14th, one point behind their opponents ahead of Friday's encounter.

Match preview

Almeria were promoted back to La Liga for the 2022-23 campaign courtesy of their Segunda Division title win last term, and they are bidding to make it successive seasons at this level for the first time since 2015.

La Union have won five, drawn four and lost nine of their 18 league games this season to collect 19 points, which has left them in 14th spot in the table, just two points clear of 18th-placed Real Valladolid.

Almeria have only lost one of their last five league matches, drawing their last two against Atletico Madrid and Valencia, but they have won just once during the same period, and a lack of victories has prevented them from sitting higher up the division at this stage of the campaign.

Rubi's side have been strong at home this season, picking up 16 points from their nine matches in front of their own supporters, but Espanyol have lost just two of their nine league games on their travels.

Almeria have not actually beaten Espanyol in the league since April 2014, meanwhile, and the points were shared when they last locked horns in Andalusia in April 2021.

Espanyol will enter the contest off the back of an impressive 1-0 victory over Real Betis in the league last weekend, with Martin Braithwaite scoring the only goal of the contest in the first half.

The Catalan outfit were knocked out of the Copa del Rey by Athletic Bilbao on January 18, but they are now unbeaten in their last four league games, drawing with Barcelona and Girona, in addition to recording wins over Getafe and Real Betis.

Espanyol's run since the 2022 World Cup has helped them move into 13th option in the table, but they are only three points clear of the relegation zone in a very crowded bottom of the table.

There are only four points separating 18th-placed Real Valladolid from Girona in 11th, so a couple of poor results could easily see Espanyol slide down the table over the next few weeks.

The White and Blues finished 14th in La Liga last term after returning to the top flight, and they will now be looking to consolidate back at this level after their shock relegation in 2020-21.

Goals have not been too much of a problem for Diego Martinez's side this season, scoring 22 times in the league, with 10 of those coming from Joselu, who is enjoying an impressive campaign.

Almeria La Liga form:

L

W

D

L

D

D

Espanyol La Liga form:

D

L

D

D

W

W

Espanyol form (all competitions):

D

W

D

W

L

W

Team News

Almeria boss Rubi is likely to have a full squad for this match, with the team not currently having any injuries.

The situation could potentially change by the time that this game kicks off, but as it stands, it would not be a surprise to see the same XI that took to the field for the first whistle against Valencia last time out.

Leo Baptistao and Largie Ramazani are set to join El Bilal Toure in the final third of the field, while Samu Costa should again feature in a midfield role for the promoted outfit.

As for Espanyol, Keidi Bare and Adria Pedrosa will again be on the sidelines through injury, but the visitors are otherwise in strong shape for the match.

Braithwaite scored the only goal of the match against Real Betis in the league last time out, and he will again join Joselu in the final third, with Javi Puado playing off the left.

Aleix Vidal should get the nod down the right, with Nico Melamed and Ruben Sanchez expected to be among the substitutes for the home side.

Vinicius Souza has impressed on loan from Lommel this term, making 17 La Liga appearances, and the Brazilian will again feature in central midfield.

Almeria possible starting lineup:

Martinez; Mendes, Chumi, Ely, Akieme; Robertone, Costa, Melero; Baptistao, Toure, Ramazani

Espanyol possible starting lineup:

Fernandez; Gil, Montes, Cabrera, Olivan; Vidal, Souza, Darder, Puado; Joselu, Braithwaite

We say: Almeria 1-1 Espanyol

Espanyol will enter this match full of confidence, but they have only won twice on their travels in the league this season, while Almeria have lost only three of their nine La Liga games at home. Both managers would likely accept a point if it were offered ahead of kickoff, and we have settled on a low-scoring draw here.

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