La Liga: Valladolid- Almeria
Big game for these two and on the back of a tough week for both. We previewed Almeria's midweek draw with Valencia.....
This is a tough ask for Almeria, Real Sociedad on Monday and Valencia on Thursday, the players have not trained much, it has mainly been about recovery and tactics for today. However, they players have claimed not to be tired at all and that are are buoyed by the fantastic win over Real, a result which has given them a realistic chance of survival, especially if they can follow up with a point or more this evening. They also get right winger Jonathan Zongo ( 11-1-2) signed in the transfer window, back from injury after missing out on Monday and likewise top scorer Rodri (18-7-1) from suspension, so the option to freshen up a winning team with two regular and key starters.
This is a tough ask for Almeria, Real Sociedad on Monday and Valencia on Thursday, the players have not trained much, it has mainly been about recovery and tactics for today. However, they players have claimed not to be tired at all and that are are buoyed by the fantastic win over Real, a result which has given them a realistic chance of survival, especially if they can follow up with a point or more this evening. They also get right winger Jonathan Zongo ( 11-1-2) signed in the transfer window, back from injury after missing out on Monday and likewise top scorer Rodri (18-7-1) from suspension, so the option to freshen up a winning team with two regular and key starters.
Almeria
fought back from 2-0 down at the break to earn a share of the spoils
and on the back of the match on Monday, we have to think there is not an
awful lot left in the tank, after giving everything and then a little
extra over the two games. This will be their third start inside five and
a half days and having to travel yesterday and the clocks changing and
losing another hour of sleep, is not in their favour. They have traveled
without suspended defensive midfielder Verza (28-7-3) and injured left
back Sebastián Dubarbier (24-1-0), they will miss the threat and cover
of Versa, who scored twice against Real and also both goals in the 2-0
defeat of Atletico, two of just three wins in 2014 and oh yes, he also
scored in the other ! They are without a cleansheet when Dubarbier
misses out , conceding 14 in six.
Hosts also played on
Thursday, but did have a little more recovery time leading up to that,
as they played their previous game on Saturday, so in terms of
freshness, they should have a huge edge. They are without suspended
centre back Stefan Mitrovic who has played every minute of the ten games
scheduled since his arrival on loan from Benfica in January, but
otherwise have no problems. A win would take them above three clubs,
including Almeria and out of the drop zone, at least for an hour or two
and that is a massive incentive. They have beaten both Villarreal and
Barcelona here since the turn of the year, so will fancy their chances
and with Valencia and Real Madrid their next two visitors, know that
things will only get harder after today.
I feel the
temptation for the visitors will be to play for what would be an all
important point, but they seem poorly set up to do so, especially given
their two missing players and they have conceded two or more in each of
their last five starts. I feel the early kick off on top of a gruelling
schedule puts them at a massive disadvantage today. 1.5 units Valladolid -0.75 ball 2.25 asian line/Ibramarket.
Valladolid: Jaime, Mariño, Rukavina, Marc Valiente, Rueda, Peña, Bergdich, Álvaro Rubio, Baraja, Víctor Pérez, Rossi, Jeffren, Larsson, Óscar, Omar, Guerra, Osorio, Manucho.
Almeria: Esteban (1) , Julián Cuesta (25), Rafita (20), Nelson (22), Torsiglieri (2), Marcelo Silva (3), Trujillo (5) , Mané (21),Aleix Vidal (8), Marcos Tébar (6), Corona (15), Azeez (31), Soriano (23), Barbosa (11) , Suso (17), Oscar Díaz (9), Rodri (10) , Jonathan (19).
Good Luck.
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