Almeria vs Celta Vigo prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2023-08-31 20:00.
Vicente Moreno insists only “small details” have prevented AlmerĂa from winning any of their opening three La Liga (LL) games (D1, L2). The 48-year old is yet to register a competitive victory since taking charge as manager in June, but he finally picked up his first point last week thanks to Kaiky’s last-gasp goal in a 1-1 draw with Cádiz.
It has been a concerning start to the campaign for Rojiblancos, who only escaped relegation by a single point in 2022/23, and haven’t been successful in six top-flight fixtures since mid-May (D3, L3). Their defensive record is a particular issue, as they finished match day three having conceded five times in just two outings at the Power Horse Stadium, the third-most at home in the division.
History suggests goals might be expected in this fixture too, given opponents Celta Vigo have netted 19 times across the last nine H2Hs (W5, D2, L2). The Sky Blues will be hoping to rekindle that kind of final-third form, as they too have accumulated just one point from their first three outings, failing to score in each of their two defeats (D1).
New manager Rafael BenĂtez had anticipated a tough season, but will be hoping some of the €40m collected from selling Gabri Veiga to Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli can be used to improve his squad. The boss admits LL’s financial constraints were behind the star midfielder’s departure, which significantly weakens a team who were separated from the relegation zone by just three points in 2022/23, and are without a win in seven top-flight fixtures on the road (D2, L5).
Players to watch: AlmerĂa will be looking for Luis Suárez to get off the mark for the season, given he has won six of the last seven matches in which he scored. Celta’s Iago Aspas, meanwhile, is now goalless in 16 outings, but 11 of his last 15 goalscoring appearances have seen him net the game’s first or last.
Hot stat: Celta have kept just one clean sheet in their last 12 away LL fixtures (W2, D4, L6).