:Headline: Preview: Almeria vs. Getafe - prediction, team news, lineups:
Sports Mole previews Saturday's La Liga clash between Almeria and Getafe, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Almeria will enter Saturday's La Liga contest against Getafe knowing that anything less than a victory would see them relegated to the Segunda Division with five games of the season still to play.
The home side are rock bottom of the table on 14 points, 17 points from the safety of 17th position, and they have to win against 10th-placed Getafe to stand a chance of taking their survival fight to another game.
Match preview
Four managers, one win, 11 draws and 20 defeats - that has been the story of Almeria's 2023-24 La Liga campaign, and their relegation back to the Segunda Division could be confirmed this weekend.
La Union are bottom of the table on 14 points, 17 points behind 17th-placed Celta, and as a result, they have to win on Saturday to stand any chance of what would be one of the greatest escapes of all time.
However, even a victory would not be enough if Celta avoid defeat against Alaves and Mallorca overcame Cadiz.
In truth, it will almost certainly be a matter of when and not if Almeria are relegated this season, with UDA's attention starting to switch to next term, when they will be expecting to challenge for an immediate return to the top flight.
Pepe Mel's side will enter this match off the back of a 2-1 home defeat to Villarreal, but they have picked up five points from their last five matches, including a 1-0 success at Las Palmas on March 17.
Almeria have the worst home record in La Liga this season, picking up only eight points from 16 matches, while they have conceded 30 times in front of their own fans in 2023-24.
Getafe's focus in the latter stages of the season will be on securing a top-half spot, with the capital outfit currently sitting 10th in the table, boasting 40 points from their 32 matches.
Jose Bordalas's side are two points behind ninth-placed Villarreal but only three points ahead of 13th-placed Las Palmas, so a lot could change in a short space of time.
Getafe have finished 15th in each of their last three campaigns in Spain's top flight, so a top-half spot would be a huge step forward, and they will enter this match off the back of a 1-1 draw with Real Sociedad.
The Deep Blue Ones have only managed to win one of their last eight league matches, though, which was a 1-0 success over Girona in the middle of last month.
Getafe will be bidding to do the league double over Almeria, having recorded a 2-1 victory when the two teams locked horns earlier this season, but Almeria have actually won three of their last four encounters in Spain's top flight.
Almeria La Liga form:
- L
- D
- W
- L
- D
- L
Getafe La Liga form:
- D
- L
- W
- L
- D
- D
Team News
Almeria will be missing Edgar Gonzalez, Luis Suarez and Aleksandar Radovanovic through injury this weekend, while Gonzalo Melero and Largie Ramazani are both out due to suspensions.
Ramazani has been handed a five-game ban for his conduct towards the referee after being sent off in the 2-1 defeat to Villarreal last time out, so he will not be available until the team's final game of the season.
Head coach Mel could name the same side that took to the field for the first whistle against Villarreal, with Anthony Lozano leading the line with support from Leo Baptistao and Adri Embarba.
As for Getafe, Juan Iglesias, Carles Alena, Mauro Arambarri, Domingos Duarte and Borja Mayoral remain on the sidelines due to fitness problems.
The capital side did not suffer any fresh issues against Real Sociedad last time out, but there could be a change in the final third of the field, with Jaime Mata potentially replacing Juanmi Latasa.
Mason Greenwood will again feature down the right for Bordalas's side, while Oscar Rodriguez netted last time out, so the Spaniard is expected to keep hold of his position on the left.
Getafe's attacking output has suffered since Mayoral's knee injury at the start of last month, with the Spaniard scoring 15 times in Spain's top flight during the 2023-24 campaign.
Almeria possible starting lineup:
Maximiano; Pubill, Montes, Chumi, Langa; Robertone, Lopy; Baptistao, Viera, Embarba; Lozano
Getafe possible starting lineup:
Soria; Carmona, Dakonam, Alderete, Rico; Santiago, Milla; Greenwood, Maksimovic, Rodriguez; Mata
We say: Almeria 1-1 Getafe
Almeria have only won once in the league this season, and that success came on their travels. It is so difficult to back them to pick up all three points in any match, and Getafe have drawn eight times on the road this season, which is the highest in the division. We can see another stalemate here, which would confirm Almeria's relegation with five games left.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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