Sevilla will be bidding to book their spot in the last-16 stage of the Copa del Rey when they head to Segunda Division leaders Almeria on Saturday afternoon.
The visitors are currently 14th in the La Liga table, picking up just 22 points from their opening 18 matches of the campaign, while Almeria are top of the second tier, with La Union bidding to secure an immediate return to the top flight.
Match preview
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Almeria have picked up 39 points from their 21 Segunda Division matches this season to sit top of the table, with UDA bidding to secure an immediate return to La Liga following their relegation at the end of the 2023-24 campaign.
La Union's main focus will be on the league this season, but they have reached the semi-finals and quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey in recent history and will be aiming to secure their spot in the last-16 stage of the 2024-25 competition on Saturday.
Rubi's side have beaten SS Reyes and Cultural Leonesa away from home in the competition this season to secure their spot in the round of 32, while they will bring a 14-game unbeaten run into this contest.
Indeed, Almeria have not been beaten since October 13, while they have been victorious in six of their last seven matches in front of their own supporters, which will hand them confidence ahead of this clash.
UDA held Sevilla to a 2-2 draw when the two teams last locked horns in March 2024, but they have not managed to overcome Saturday's opponents since August 2022 - a 2-1 success on home soil in La Liga.
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Sevilla, meanwhile, have won the Copa del Rey on five previous occasions, with their last success in the competition coming back in 2009-10, while they have made the quarter-finals in the last two campaigns.
Not since 2013-14 have Los Nervionenses failed to make it past the round of 32, so it would be a surprise to see them eliminated here, but it has been another testing season to date for the team.
Sevilla entered the winter break off the back of a 4-2 defeat to Real Madrid, with the result leaving them down in 14th spot in the La Liga table, boasting only 22 points from their 18 league matches this term.
Garcia Pimienta's side are bidding to improve on their 14th-placed finish from last term, which proved to be their worst final spot in Spain's top flight since being relegated in 1999-2000, so there is plenty on the line this term.
Sevilla have already played twice away from home in the Copa del Rey this season, beating Las Rosas 3-0 before recording a 3-1 victory over Olot towards the start of last month.
Team News
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Luis Suarez has been in excellent form for Almeria this season, scoring 16 times in 21 appearances, while Leo Baptistao has come up with seven goals in 19 appearances for the second-tier outfit.
Rachad Fettal and Marko Milovanovic started as the front two in the last round of the Copa del Rey, but the fact that this match is taking place after a winter break suggests that Suarez and Baptistao could feature as the front two.
Nico Melamed is set to be another notable inclusion in a midfield area, with the 23-year-old also in strong form this season, scoring four goals and registering three assists in 22 appearances.
As for Sevilla, Adria Pedrosa, Chidera Ejuke, Rafa Mir and Tanguy Nianzou are on the sidelines through injury, while Djibril Sow remains a major doubt due to a muscular problem.
Head coach Garcia Pimienta will make changes from the side that started against Real Madrid, with Gonzalo Montiel, Suso, Kelechi Iheanacho, Marcao and Saul Niguez among those set to come into the XI.
There should also be a spot in the final third for Juanlu Sanchez, but Jesus Navas has now officially retired, with his final appearance for the club coming in the 4-2 defeat to Real Madrid last time out.
Almeria possible starting lineup:
Maximiano; Pozo, Kaiky, Radovanovic, Centelles; Melamed, Quintanilla, Melero, Perovic; Suarez, Baptistao
Sevilla possible starting lineup:
Fernandez; Montiel, Gudelj, Marcao, Salas; Lokonga, Agoume, Saul; Juanlu, Iheanacho, Suso
We say: Almeria 2-1 Sevilla
Almeria are a strong outfit and will enter this match in excellent form; if the hosts select their best players, then we fancy them to emerge victorious on Saturday afternoon against a Sevilla outfit that are having another difficult campaign.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Matt Law
