Our prediction for this Primera Division match:
Villarreal
Match Time & Date:
17/09/2023
16:15
Prediction: 2-0
Almeria
Villarreal will try to make amends for back-to-back defeats to Barcelona and Cadiz when they take on Almeria in the La Liga round 5. The Yellow Submarine made a slow start to the season, but it seems as if their performances are much better than the results. Alfonso Pedraza is banned for Sunday’s clash, with Jose Luis Morales likely to step up. Both Alberto Moreno and Francis Coquelin are out of contention with injuries, but the appointment of Jose Pacheta as the team's new boss should give players a confidence boost.
The Andalusians, on the other hand, have collected only one point in total from possible 12 and given their shaky defence, we do not believe that Villarreal will have a better chance than this to return to winning ways in the Spanish elite division. Edgar Gonzalez returns from suspension, while fellow midfielder Martin Svidersky has yet to overcome an ACL injury. In their last meeting at Estadio de la Ceramica Villarreal defeated Almeria 2-1.
Highlighted Player (Aissa Mandi):
Aissa Mandi is a product of Reims’ youth school. After playing eight matches for Reims II in the 2009/2010 season, he started playing for the first team in 2010. Mandi made his Reims debut against Le Havre on 20 August, 2010 and he remained at Stade Auguste Delaune until 30 June, 2016, when he decided to join Spanish side Real Betis.
The Algeria international, who was born in Chalons-en-Champagne, France, signed a five-year contract with los Beticos which expires on 30 June, 2021. His main position is centre back, but he is capable of playing as a full back as well. The right-footed defender made his Algeria debut on 5 March, 2014 and he helped the Algerian national team keep a clean sheet in a 2-0 win over Slovenia.
Mandi impressed at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, but he scored his first goal for Algeria in a 3-3 draw with Ethiopia in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. He represented Algeria at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations as well.
Highlighted Team (Almeria):
UD Almeria is a Spanish club based in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Los Rojiblancos are one of the newer additions to the Spanish football system, with the club being founded on July 26, 1989.
Almeria suffered relegation to Segunda Division in the 2014/15 season, and they have been competing in the Spanish second tier ever since. Los Rojiblancos are well known for their white shirts with red stripes, while blue is the dominant colour of their away jersey. Sofiane Feghouli, Felipe Melo, Diego Alves, Veljko Paunovic, Aleix Vidal, Alvaro Negredo, Tomer Hemed, and Mate Bilic are some notable footballers who played for Almeria in the past. Fellow Andalusian clubs Sevilla, Malaga, and Granada are considered the club’s fiercest rivals.
The club’s biggest success in Copa del Rey came in the 2010/11 season when they made it to the semis of the prestigious competition. Nonetheless, Catalan giants Barcelona proved to be a big catch for Almeria in the Spanish Cup semi-finals.
Barcelona
Las Palmas 
Crystal Palace
Newcastle 
Borussia Dortmund 
Bayern Munich 
West Ham
Arsenal
Chelsea 
Aston Villa 
Manchester United 
Everton
