Almeria vs Girona prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2024-01-13 13:00.
It has been a case of new year, same old AlmerĂa in 2024 as La Liga’s bottom club extended their chastening winless league record to 19 games last time out (D5, L14). Only two other sides in the competition’s history have failed to win by this stage of the campaign, both of whom were ultimately relegated by finishing in last place. Another failure to succeed here would see them join Sporting GijĂłn of 1997/98 as the only other side to go winless across their opening 20 La Liga games.
Even though AlmerĂa entered this round 11 points from the nearest safe spot, they have at least given it a go by getting on the scoresheet more often than seven other sides, albeit they failed to score in their last two home games (D2). Those two draws and narrow away losses at Barcelona and AtlĂ©tico Madrid in December may hint at an improvement in form, but they still may have their work cut out here to record back-to-back home wins over a much-improved Girona.
Visiting Girona entered this round joint-top of the table with Real Madrid on points, which is quite unbelievable for a club who were promoted alongside AlmerĂa back in 2021/22. That divergence of pathways is welcome news for MĂchel’s men, who kicked off the new year in style by defeating AtlĂ©tico Madrid 4-3 before reaching the last 16 of the Copa del Rey.
Those victories extended Girona’s competitive unbeaten run to 14 games (W12, D2), with the last nine victories in that streak seeing them score at least twice. Playing away from home won’t faze the visitors either as they remain the only club, alongside Barcelona, yet to taste defeat on the road in La Liga this season (W7, D2), which is made even more impressive by their meagre return of one clean sheet in that time!
Players to watch: LĂ©o BaptistĂŁo sent AlmerĂa flying into a 2-0 lead in the reverse fixture, although that was unfortunately the first of his three losing scoring appearances this season. Artem Dovbyk also scored a first-half brace in that exhilarating 5-2 reverse win, and he could strike again as he enters this on the back of five goal contributions (G4, A1) across his last four league appearances.
Hot stat: Girona boss MĂchel has never drawn a game in nine prior H2Hs against AlmerĂa (W6, L3).