Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Segunda División play-off match.
One year after their relegation from La Liga, Almería now have the opportunity to return to the top tier. The team secured a play-off spot by finishing sixth in the Segunda División standings, while Real Oviedo narrowly missed out on automatic promotion. Both sides are expected to emphasise defensive organisation in Saturday’s match.
Almería
A solid run of form at the end of the campaign helped Almería clinch a place in the top six. Since early May, they have picked up three wins from five league fixtures, conceding just once in that stretch. In the final round, Almería claimed a 2:0 victory over Tenerife, and with Granada dropping points in their concurrent fixture, Almería secured a play-off berth. Without Guilherme Guedes и Lucas Robertone, the squad lack attacking depth, and Sergio Arribas has at times struggled to create opportunities for Luis Suárez due to a lack of experience.
Real Oviedo
Last Sunday’s 2:1 win over Cádiz extended Real Oviedo’s unbeaten streak to ten matches. They have conceded just 42 league goals this season — a tally bettered only by Eibar (41), Mirandés (40), and Elche (34) in the division. Kwasi Sibo will return to the squad after serving a suspension for yellow card accumulation, but three players remain unavailable due to injury: Ilyas Chaira, Álvaro Lemos, and Federico Viñas. Since March, six of Real Oviedo’s seven away matches have seen Total Under 2.5 goals.
Almería vs Real Oviedo Prediction
The teams played out a 1:1 draw at Almería’s home ground back in February, with both offering limited attacking output. Real Oviedo will aim to edge ahead of the second leg, but both squads are likely to prioritise defensive stability.
