The team’s strong start to the season seems like a distant memory now. In early January, Almería was leading the Second Division table and had even defeated Sevilla in the Copa del Rey. They had a 14-game unbeaten streak going, but everything changed when they lost to Albacete. The previous week, they had drawn with Huesca, a direct rival, but the feeling was different back then – it was just a matter of luck that prevented them from winning.
Since that loss, Almería’s season has taken a dramatic turn. They’ve become a shadow of their former selves, both in terms of results and performance. Against Albacete, they were outplayed and lucky to escape with a draw. The following week, they were inferior to Oviedo at home and managed to scrape a draw, despite a poor display. In Coruña, they suffered a heavy defeat, conceding three goals in just 12 minutes, and the game was all but over after 30 minutes. On Monday, they were lucky to draw against Elche, with coach Eder Sarabia expressing his disbelief and frustration at conceding a late equalizer while playing with a man advantage.
A Worrisome Trend
Almería has not won in their last five games, and if we include the Copa del Rey, that streak extends to six. They’ve only won one game in this poor start to the second round, accumulating just six points out of 18 possible, with one win, three draws, and two losses. This dynamic is starting to resemblance the crisis they faced at the beginning of the season, when they won only two games, drew three, and lost four, finding themselves in the relegation zone on day 9 before managing to turn things around.
Currently, there’s no sign of the team that once intimidated their rivals. The players’ level has dropped significantly, and coach Rubi’s decisions when choosing the starting lineup have raised eyebrows. As a result, Almería has gone from being the leader to fighting for a playoff spot in sixth place in just four games, with Levante and Granada breathing down their necks.
The situation is becoming increasingly worrying as the team shows signs of weakness, and the loss of points is taking its toll with 15 games left to conclude the competition. However, it’s worth noting that the league is still tightly packed, and despite their current crisis, Almería is only three points away from direct promotion.
