Real Madrid vs Almeria prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2023-04-28 16:30.
“It’s never good to lose, but maybe this loss can be a wake-up call,” Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti said following Tuesday’s 4-2 La Liga (LL) defeat to Girona. Even if their title defence is effectively over with Barcelona 11 points clear, it was a bad time to produce such a poor performance with a UEFA Champions League semi-final and the Copa del Rey final inching ever closer.
In the meantime, they need to lift themselves to face AlmerĂa, as they now face a challenge from city rivals AtlĂ©tico to finish second in the table. With their cushion standing at just two points, returning to the BernabĂ©u should suit Los Blancos, who’ve only lost one of their last 19 home league fixtures (W13, D5) and won all six previous home H2Hs.
Having beaten fellow strugglers Getafe 2-1 on Wednesday, AlmerĂa have moved clear of the bottom three and seem to be finding patches of decent form at the perfect time (W2, D2, L2). That was their seventh successive fixture in which both teams scored (W2, D2, L3) and the fourth in a row to end 2-1 (W2, L2), so they’re typically a good team to follow if it’s goals you’re after.
That victory at nearby Getafe was their first LL away win since February 2015 (D4, L17), so the chances of another raid in Madrid seem remote, but the fact they have scored in each of their last five league away fixtures (W1, D1, L3) does suggest another shock can’t be completely dismissed, especially if Madrid’s focus is drifting towards challenges to come rather than what’s immediately in front of them.
Players to watch: Madrid defender Lucas Vázquez doesn’t score often, but he netted in midweek and against AlmerĂa in August, both times doing so after the 60th minute. Luis Suárez was AlmerĂa’s midweek hero with a brace against Getafe, meaning he’s scored three of his four LL goals this term before the 30th minute.
Hot streak: Each of AlmerĂa’s last three LL games witnessed scoring inside the first ten minutes.