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

While the visitors are propping up the La Liga table, their opponents start the new year in 12th position with 19 points to their name.

Match preview

After achieving finishing in seventh place last term, Osasuna are unlikely to replicate that feat this season with nine points separating them from the top seven.

Los Rojillos have ultimately struggled for consistency during the current campaign, having won five, drawn four and lost nine of their 18 matches this season.

The most recent of those five victories took place in their most recent home game against Rayo Vallecano on December 15, but they were could not back up that result in their final match of 2023, as they fell to a 3-2 defeat in their away meeting with Mallorca.

Having lost four of their last five away games (D1), Osasuna may be looking forward to returning to the home comforts of El Sadar, where they have proven to be a tough team to beat in recent times, with their last five home matches producing two wins, two draws and one defeat.

Osasuna boss Jagoba Arrasate will still want to see his side offer a greater attacking threat in front of their own supporters after seeing his team score just eight goals in their nine home games this season.

Almeria will hope that 2024 will bring a significant upturn in fortunes after mustering just five points from their 18 league games, leaving them 10 points adrift of safety ahead of matchday 19.

Despite finishing the calendar year with a loss to Barcelona, the basement side may have taken confidence from the fact they made the reigning La Liga champions work hard for the victory.

Almeria fought back on two occasions thanks to goals from Leo Baptistao and Edgar Gonzalez, before Sergio Roberto netted his second goal of the in the 83rd minute to a narrow 3-2 defeat at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.

While they may have run the Catalan giants close, the result represented Almeria's ninth consecutive away defeat in all competitions.

Having failed to win any of their 21 league matches since beating Mallorca in May, their hopes of ending that barren spell on Thursday will be tempered by their recent head-to-head record, with their last six meetings across the first and second tier all ending in defeat.

Osasuna La Liga form:

D

L

D

D

W

L

Almeria La Liga form:

L

L

D

L

D

L

Almeria form (all competitions):

L

D

L

L

D

L

Advert - content below:

Team News

Arrasate has the majority of his Osasuna squad available, but he is still unable to call upon left-back Johan Mojica due to a knee injury.

Ruben Garcia could come back into the side after recovering from a hamstring injury that kept him out of the final match of 2023.

Chimy Avila is also in contention to start Thursday's contest despite dropping down to the bench for the defeat to Mallorca.

As for the visitors, Gaizka Garitano remains without the services of Ibrahima Kone and Luis Suarez, who are recovering from ankle and leg injuries respectively.

Martin Svidersky is unlikely to return in time for Thursday's fixture, while Lucas Robertone and Gonzalo Melero are both regarded as doubts.

Guinea-Bissau pair Houboulang Mendes and Marciano Sanco as well as Ghana's Iddrisu Baba are away with their national sides preparing for the upcoming African Cup of Nations.

Osasuna possible starting lineup:

Herrera; Areso, D. Garcia, Crus, Pena; Ibanez, Torro, Gomez; Avila, R. Garcia, Budimir

Almeria possible starting lineup:

Maximiano; Chumi, Montes, Gonzalez; Pozo, Lopy, Puigmal, Akieme; Arribas, Embarba, Baptistao

We say: Osasuna 2-1 Almeria

Although Osasuna have struggled to consistently pick up wins this season, they will go into Thursday's contest as the favourites to claim all three points.

Previews by email