The 2023-24 La Liga season kicks off on Friday night, and two sides that struggled for points at the end of the previous campaign will be looking to get off to the perfect start. Almeria narrowly escaped relegation last term, and will be looking for a strong start in front of their home fans against Rayo Vallecano.
It was largely a season to forget for Almeria in 2022-23, as they narrowly avoided suffering relegation back to the second tier. However, many will believe that they achieved their pre-season target, as they managed to retain their top-flight status on their first campaign back in La Liga. Their end of season form was encouraging, as they landed three wins from their final seven matches, but they will be keen to address the defensive issues that plagued them.
They have been reliable during pre-season outings this summer, as they have lost just once in their last five matches. They also come into the opening match of the season after landing a 1-0 win over Granada in their final warm-up match before the start of the new season.
It as an encouraging campaign for large periods for Rayo Vallecano, as they narrowly missed out on a place in the top ten in the La Liga standings. An eleventh place finish overall was a decent showing, but they clearly had issues in the final third of the field after scoring just 45 goals in their 38 matches.
Vallecano come into this match after failing to suffer a defeat throughout pre-season. However, they were held to three 1-1 draws, which includes that outcome in their final preparation match before the start of the new season against Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday.
Vallecano has a strong recent record against Almeria, as they have won five of the previous six matches between the sides. That includes a 2-0 win in the previous encounter. Almeria’s only win in six in La Liga against Vallecano was a 3-1 win in October 2022.
Vallecano enjoyed a fine campaign last term, but their issues in the final third have continued throughout pre-season. Therefore, a chance will be taken on Almeria to kick off the campaign with maximum points on Friday night.
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Bet hereAlex is a sports writer and commentator who covers European and North American football. He…
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