:Headline: Preview: Almeria vs. Villarreal - prediction, team news, lineups:
Sports Mole previews Sunday's La Liga clash between Almeria and Villarreal, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Almeria will be bidding to give their incredibly-slim La Liga survival hopes a boost when they welcome Villarreal to the Power Horse Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The home side are rock bottom of the division, 14 points from the safety of 17th position, while Villarreal occupy ninth, eight points behind seventh-placed Valencia in the race for Europe.
Match preview
Almeria will not give up until their relegation has been mathematically confirmed, but it will take one of the biggest turnarounds in the history of top-level football for the club to survive in La Liga from this position.
Indeed, an incredibly tough campaign has seen La Union pick up just 14 points from their 31 league matches, which has left them in 20th position, 14 points from the safety of 17th spot.
Pepe Mel has steadied the ship since his arrival as head coach last month, picking up four points from an available nine, with the team beating Las Palmas, losing to Osasuna and drawing with Real Sociedad under the guidance of the 61-year-old.
Almeria came close to losing against Real Sociedad last time out, but Adri Embarba scored an 88th-minute penalty to level the scores at 2-2, with the division's basem*nt side securing an impressive point.
UDA have the worst home record in the division this season, picking up just eight points from 15 matches, while Villarreal have been solid on their travels, securing 20 points from their 15 games away from home.
Villarreal finished fifth in Spain's top flight last season, but they are currently 18 points behind fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao, with the Yellow Submarine having a largely disappointing campaign.
Marcelino's side still have an outside chance of claiming a European spot for next season, but they are eight points off seventh-placed Valencia, so it is unlikely unless there is a huge turnaround.
Villarreal posted four straight wins in La Liga between February 23 and March 17, which saw them climb the table, but they were beaten 2-1 at home by Atletico Madrid at the start of the month before drawing 1-1 with Athletic at San Mames last time out.
The Yellow Submarine are actually unbeaten in their last five away league matches, recording three wins in the process, so they will enter this game in a confident mood.
Villarreal have also enjoyed their recent meetings with Almeria, posting three straight wins in La Liga, while they have not been beaten by Sunday's opponents at this level of football since May 2010.
Almeria La Liga form:
- D
- L
- D
- W
- L
- D
Villarreal La Liga form:
Villarreal form (all competitions):
- L
- W
- W
- W
- L
- D
Team News
Almeria will be without the services of three players this weekend through injury, with Marko Milovanovic, Luis Suarez and Aleksandar Radovanovic on the sidelines.
Gonzalo Melero, meanwhile, is still suspended for the team at the bottom of the division.
Head coach Mel could decide to select the same XI that took to the field for the first whistle against Real Sociedad, with two-goal Embarba featuring on the left, while Leo Baptistao should continue as the centre-forward.
As for Villarreal, Francis Coquelin, Yeremy Pino, Eric Bailly, Juan Foyth and Denis Suarez are on the sidelines through injury, while the visitors will be missing two further players through suspension.
Indeed, Santi Comesana was sent off in the draw with Athletic last time out, while Raul Albiol picked up a milestone yellow card which will also rule him out of the contest.
Aissa Mandi is set to be introduced in the middle of the defence, while Etienne Capoue should replace Comesana in central midfield, with Dani Parejo also operating in that area.
Almeria possible starting lineup:
Maximiano; Pubill, Chumi, Gonzalez, Langa; Robertone, Lopy; Romero, Viera, Embarba; Baptistao
Villarreal possible starting lineup:
Jorgensen; Femenia, Mandi, Mosquera, A Moreno; Traore, Capoue, Parejo, Baena; G Moreno, Sorloth
We say: Almeria 1-2 Villarreal
Almeria are seeking a first La Liga success over Villarreal for 14 years, but we are finding it difficult to predict a positive result for the basem*nt side. Villarreal are in excellent form on their travels, and we are backing the Yellow Submarine to navigate their way to all three points.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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