Five in a Row on the Line: Almería Head to Albacete Chasing History
Almería travel to Albacete on Friday looking to make it five consecutive Segunda División wins — and potentially break into the automatic promotion places.
Almería are on a proper roll right now, and this Friday’s trip to Albacete could be one of the most important away days of their season.
The Streak That Could Change Everything
Rubi’s side have won four on the bounce — Ceuta, Cádiz, Andorra, and then the local derby against Córdoba at the weekend — and a fifth would be genuinely uncharted territory for them this campaign. They hit four in a row back in November but couldn’t push it further. The last time they put together a run like this and kept going? The 2021/22 season, which ended in promotion to La Liga. That’s the kind of precedent that gets a dressing room buzzing.
For context, Málaga currently hold the best consecutive-win record in the division this term with six straight. That’s the benchmark, and Almería are eyeing it from a distance — but you’ve got to start somewhere.
What’s at Stake in the Standings
This isn’t just about bragging rights or momentum. The table situation makes Friday’s game genuinely massive:
- Almería are just one point off the automatic promotion places
- A win could see them climb into the top two by the end of the weekend
- Conveniently, second-placed Castellón and leaders Racing de Santander face each other this round — meaning points will be dropped at the top regardless
The stars are aligning a bit, if Almería can do their bit.
It’s also worth noting they haven’t sat in second place since matchday 12, when they beat Eibar at home, and they haven’t topped the Segunda División table in over a year — since matchday 23 of last season, to be exact. The lads are hungry to get back up there.
The Albacete Problem
Now, before we get too carried away — the Carlos Belmonte is no easy manor. Almería’s historical record there is genuinely grim: three wins, two draws, and five defeats across ten visits. That’s the sort of away-day stat that makes you wince.
Last season they went there on a 14-game unbeaten run and still came away empty-handed, losing to a brace from Morcillo — who, in a lovely bit of football irony, now plays for Almería. Whether he can haunt his former employers in reverse remains to be seen.
The Bigger Picture
Almería need a clean sweep of February to really announce themselves as serious promotion contenders. The momentum is there, the fixture list has done them a favour, and the squad clearly believe in what Rubi is building.
But away form against sides with nothing to lose — and Albacete will be fighting for their lives in the relegation battle — is where title challenges are won and lost. Almería know what they need to do. Friday night can’t come soon enough.