La Liga: Real Ready to Take on Segunda Champions

Almeria vs Real Madrid

Real Madrid kick off the defence of their 2022 La Liga title with a visit to newly- promoted Almeria in a match to set the pulses racing at the Estadio del Mediterraneo.

The Andalusian hosts will come into the game full of hope and expectation after storming to the 2021/22 Segunda Division title and Almeria boss Rubi will have his team primed to take on the best.

And who better than Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid, who simply obliterated the opposition in Spain’s top-flight last season to win a record 35^th La Liga title, leaving runners up Barcelona 13 points in their wake.

Los Blancos expect the Blaugrana to put up a much better fight under Xavi and a fast start, including a win start in Almeria, is key to their hopes of defending their title.

Talking Points

Benzema aiming for another Golden Boot  

A 2-0 UEFA Super Cup victory over Eintracht Frankfurt was the perfect way for Los Blancos to tee up this season opener. David Alaba and Karim Benzema were both on the score sheet as Ancelotti’s side brushed way the Europa League champions with a professional display.

Benzema was also on target in a pre-season 1-0 win over Juventus and the French scoring sensation looks to be in the perfect mood to carry on where he left off last season. He won the La Liga and Champions League Golden Boots in 2022 and it’s difficult to see who can stop him.

But then again, Robert Lewandowski has just rocked up at Barcelona and that could launch the biggest one on one battle since Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi dominated the Spanish league.

There could be a start too for summer signing Aurelien Tchouameni, who made a cameo appearance in the Super Cup triumph in Helsinki and he might take his La Liga bow alongside fellow newcomer Antonio Rudiger.     

Sadiq can fire Almeria to safety

The La Liga 2022 betting odds give Almeria a decent chance of survival with a handful of clubs, including fellow newcomers Girona and Real Valladolid, while the likes of Cadiz, Elche, and Mallorca more likely to take the drop. Rubi’s side put in an impressive run to win the Segunda title, winning five and drawing four of the last nine games to pull away from the chasing pack.

They will turn up to their home ground in a confident mood with a 1-0 win over Cartegina in their last pre-season outing.

25-year-old striker Umar Sadiq will be Almeria’s biggest goal threat. He was outstanding in their promotion campaign and has scored 38 goals in 76 appearances for the club.

If he can get anywhere near maintaining a one in two record, then Almeria will be just fine. It’s a big ask, but Espanyol’s Raul de Tomas proved it can be done, scoring 17 in 34 last season in his first campaign in the top-flight.

The 15,000 capacity crowd at Almeria will love to see their team face up to the best clubs in Spain, but they will not turn up to admire the likes of Benzema, Luka Modric, and David Alaba.

Sadiq is their man and they’ll back him all the way as the leader of the fierce underdogs.

History

These two teams have met 12 times and Los Blancos have won nine of those meetings, drawing two and losing just the once back in 2008. In fact, Real Madrid have won each of the last five encounters with a goal difference of 24 to two.   

The SBOTOP stats team have come up with an encouraging note for the hosts, though, in that Almeria are unbeaten in five on home soil.

But then Los Blancos haven’t played there since 2014 and that ended in a 4-1 victory for Madrid as Cristiano Ronaldo scored a brace as Carlo Ancelotti, in his previous stint as head coach, led his team to a 20^th consecutive victory in all competitions.  

Betting Tip

An Almeria win, or even a draw, would dominate the La Liga 2022 news headlines but the price of 6.76 for the hosts to win will surely be too good for their fan to resist.

It’s been seven years since Almeria were last in the Primera Liga and, founded in 1989, their experience in the top-flight is relatively limited. But they have only lost one of their last six top-flight opening day appearances, winning two and drawing three.

This is the type of games which dreams are made of and the draw at 4.45 would also send the underdogs into raptures, while 1.39 is about as good as you can get on a Los Blancos victory.

 

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