Almería's Christmas Curse: 11 Years of Festive Flops

Almería’s Pre-Christmas Curse Stretches to 11 Long Years

Talk about your Christmas nightmares! UD Almería have developed a proper festive curse, failing to win their final match before the Christmas break for a staggering 11 consecutive years.

You have to go all the way back to December 19, 2014, to find the last time the Indálicos enjoyed their Christmas turkey with the sweet taste of victory. That day, they nicked a 1-0 win at Celta Vigo thanks to Tomer Hemed’s goal.

Since then? Nothing but coal in their stockings, mate.

The Grim Timeline

2015: Lost 1-0 to Oviedo
2016: Lost 2-1 to Mirandés
2017: Lost 2-0 to Alcorcón
2018: Drew 2-2 with Elche
2019: Lost 3-2 to Ponferradina (at home, no less!)
2020: Lost 2-1 to Espanyol
2021: Lost 2-1 to Lugo (played in January 2022 due to COVID)
2022: Drew 1-1 with Cádiz
2023: Lost 3-2 to Barcelona
2024: Drew 1-1 with Cádiz

There’s a curious asterisk for 2021, when their scheduled final match against Lugo was postponed due to a COVID outbreak. They actually won their last two games that calendar year (against Zaragoza in the league and Amorebieta in the Copa), but the officially designated “final match” still resulted in defeat when eventually played.

Can They Break the Curse?

This Sunday, Almería travel to Málaga with a chance to finally bin this embarrassing streak. The omens, however, aren’t exactly promising.

Rubi’s men have managed just one win from their last four outings, including that proper banana skin against Eldense in the Copa del Rey. Meanwhile, Málaga are unbeaten in their last four league matches, though they also took an early cup bath.

For a Segunda División side trying to push for promotion, these are the kind of psychological barriers they need to overcome. Eleven years is a proper monkey on your back - or should I say, a Christmas turkey.

The form book suggests Málaga might have the edge, but perhaps this is finally the year Almería can have their Christmas pudding and eat it too.