Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Segunda División match.
Since their relegation from La Liga, Almería have struggled to find the form needed to have a realistic chance at returning to the top flight. Meanwhile, newly-promoted Castellón have a straightforward and unremarkable goal: to secure a mid-table finish, which requires cautious play against the league favourites.
Almería
In the recent transfer window, Almería lost key players Largie Ramazani and César Montes (purchased by Lokomotiv Moscow), securing a decent fee for a second division side (€18 million). However, the signings of Nico Melamed and Iddrisu Baba as free agents have not yet had a positive impact. Their potent attacking unit, led by former Marseille player Luis Suárez, has only scored four goals in four matches, and against Eldense (0:1), out of 10 shots, only two were on target.
Castellón
In their first month in Segunda Division, Castellón have scored even fewer goals (3), and their defeat to Cadiz (1:3) highlighted their struggles against top-tier competition. Within the team's lineup, the 30-year-old Jetro Willems, who won bronze with the Netherlands in the 2014 World Cup, has failed to meet the expectations of even the Eredivisie level. Notably, the newcomer has issues with game organisation: despite a high possession rate (60%+ in all four matches), they have created very few scoring opportunities.
Almería vs Castellón Prediction
Almería and Castellón have each surpassed the total over 2.5 only once in four Segunda matches. Expect a dull match with limited chances, where the visitors will dominate possession but struggle to create opportunities against a solid defence.
