Barcelona vs Almería prediction 20.12.2023
FC Barcelona
3 : 2
Almería
The match has ended, you can view football predictions for today and football predictions for tomorrow.
Contents
- Competition: La Liga
- Date: Wednesday, 20th December 2023
- Kickoff: 18:00 UK / 19:00 CET
- Venue: Estadio Olímpico Lluís Companys (Barcelona)
Financial issues have hampered Barcelona’s dominance in football, but their academy and strategic free transfers have enabled them to remain one of Spain’s top teams. Despite their victory in La Liga last year, their failure to progress from the group stage of the Champions League in the two preceding seasons was a significant letdown. Currently, they are performing well in the Champions League, having reached the knockout phase, but are falling behind in La Liga. After securing only one point in their last two La Liga matches, Barcelona are already trailing the league leader, Girona, by six points, despite having played one more game.
In the previous season, Almeria narrowly escaped relegation in La Liga, ending the season just a point ahead of the drop zone. However, the current season appears grim for the team from Andalusia. Presently, Almeria is at the bottom of the league table, having garnered a mere five points in 17 matches and trailing eight points behind the safety area. If the situation doesn’t improve rapidly, it is highly probable that Almeria will face relegation.
Barcelona vs Almeria pick: Barcelona to win and cover the -2 AH spread
Barcelona’s performance has been dismal recently, securing just one point in their last three matches across all competitions. However, it wouldn’t be fair to say they are playing poorly. The issue is their struggle to score goals. This was evident in their last match against Valencia, where despite having 3.52 expected goals (xG), they only managed to draw 1:1. This is a recurring issue that needs to be addressed swiftly. Fortunately, Barcelona will next face the league’s weakest defensive team, providing an ideal chance to rectify their problem. Furthermore, their performance at Estadio Olimpico is commendable, with victories in ten out of twelve games across all competitions, and defeats only to Girona and Real Madrid.
After 17 rounds in La Liga, Almeria is the sole team without a victory. Their performance away from home is particularly abysmal, having lost seven out of eight matches and conceding a staggering 21 goals &— an average of 2.63 per game.
In their last head-to-head match at Camp Nou, Barcelona triumphed with a score of 2:0. The upcoming game is set to take place at Estadio Olímpico Lluís Companys, a venue where Barcelona has consistently performed well this season. Despite facing a minor crisis, Barcelona’s superior skill sets them apart, and a comfortable victory is anticipated against the team currently at the bottom of La Liga.
FC Barcelona vs Almería Head to Head (H2H) stats
-
26 feb 23
Almería
1 : 0
FC Barcelona
La Liga
-
05 nov 22
FC Barcelona
2 : 0
Almería
La Liga
-
08 apr 15
FC Barcelona
4 : 0
Almería
La Liga
-
08 nov 14
Almería
1 : 2
FC Barcelona
La Liga
-
02 mar 14
FC Barcelona
4 : 1
Almería
La Liga
Barcelona team news
Frankie de Jong, a crucial midfielder, was awarded his fifth yellow card and will observe his one-game suspension against Almeria. Given that Gavi is currently injured, the midfield could potentially consist of Ilkay Gundogan, Pedri, and Oriol Romeu.
Gavi, Inigo Martinez, Marcos Alonso, and their top goalkeeper, Marc-André ter Stegen, will continue to be sidelined due to injuries from previous games.
Interestingly, statistics reveal that despite having the most significant opportunities in the top five leagues in 2023/24, Barca only managed to convert 31% of these chances into goals, making them 76th-best in terms of conversion rate.
Last matches of FC Barcelona
-
02 aug 23
AC Milan
0 : 1
FC Barcelona
Club Friendlies 1
-
29 jul 23
FC Barcelona
3 : 0
Real Madrid
Club Friendlies 1
-
27 jul 23
Arsenal
5 : 3
FC Barcelona
Club Friendlies 1
-
06 jun 23
Vissel Kobe
0 : 2
FC Barcelona
Club Friendlies 1
-
04 jun 23
Celta Vigo
2 : 1
FC Barcelona
La Liga
FC Barcelona lineup
Goalkeeper
-
13
Inaki Pena
Defenders
-
2
Joao Cancelo
-
4
Ronald Araujo
-
23
Jules Kounde
-
3
Alejandro Balde
Midfielders
-
22
Ilkay Gundogan
-
18
Oriol Romeu
-
8
Pedri
Forwards
-
11
Raphinha
-
9
Robert Lewandowski
-
14
Joao Felix
Almería team news
The team is expected to have no fresh injuries or suspensions. Ibrahima Kone, Marko Milovanovic, Martin Svidersky, and Luis Suarez will continue to be out of action. Meanwhile, Marc Pubill is nearing his return to the field and his participation remains uncertain.
Coach Gaizka Garitano expressed his displeasure with his team’s performance to the press following a 0:0 draw against Mallorca in their most recent game. He noted that they had difficulty creating opportunities and generally lacked comfort on the field. “We are on an upward trajectory as a team. We must continue to work hard,” Garitano added.
Last matches of Almería
-
17 dec 23
Almería
0 : 0
Mallorca
La Liga
-
10 dec 23
Atletico Madrid
2 : 1
Almería
La Liga
-
06 dec 23
Barbastro
1 : 0
Almería
Copa Del Rey
-
03 dec 23
Almería
0 : 0
Real Betis
La Liga
-
25 nov 23
Getafe
2 : 1
Almería
La Liga
Almería lineup
Goalkeeper
-
25
Luis Maximiano
Defenders
-
21
Chumi
-
22
Cesar Montes
-
3
Edgar Gonzalez
-
15
Sergio Akieme
Midfielders
-
17
Alejandro Pozo
-
5
Lucas Robertone
-
6
Dion Lopy
-
10
Adri Embarba
Forwards
-
12
Leo Baptistao
-
19
Sergio Arribas
3 Reasons why Barcelona should win and cover the -2 AH spread
- In all competitions, Barcelona emerged victorious in ten out of twelve home games.
- Almeria is the only team in La Liga that has not won a game.
- In La Liga, Almeria was defeated in seven out of eight away games.
Main prediction FC Barcelona &— Almería
AH1 (-2)
Best Odds:
Do you agree with Nikola qq ?
24 votes
Yes 67%
24 votes
No 33%