Albacete - Almería en directo: albacete - almería lineups confirmed
Starting lineups have been confirmed and both teams have taken the field for warm-ups ahead of the match, with Albacete coach Alberto González outlining squad doubts and Almería arriving on a run that makes this fixture decisive for the promotion race. The albacete - almería clash matters now because a win for the visitors would immediately affect the direct-promotion picture described in recent coverage, while injuries are shaping selection on the home side.
Albacete - Almería: confirmed starting lineups
Both clubs have released their starting XIs and players are on the pitch beginning pre-match routines. The match will be played at the Carlos Belmonte, where home preparations are being influenced by a string of absences and tactical adjustments announced this week. The confirmed lineups follow the warm-up period and set the stage for a match central to the second-division promotion battle.
albacete - almería and promotion hopes
Almería arrive buoyed by four consecutive wins and a schedule that recent coverage describes as favorable: five successive opponents who are not competing in the same promotion group. There are fifteen rounds remaining in the campaign, with 45 points still available. The sequence that follows Friday’s trip to Albacete includes a home fixture against Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa, away matches at Zaragoza and Huesca, and a return home against the Real Sociedad B reserve team. Coverage notes that, should Almería win at Albacete, that result would secure one of the two direct promotion places in the 28th round.
The calendar described as "mini" and initially favorable is followed later by a tougher stretch featuring Castellón away, Leganés at home and Racing de Santander on the road, plus a match against Málaga before six decisive fixtures that will close the season. Those final six opponents include several strong teams and will be critical in confirming promotion and playoff places.
González on injuries and solutions
Albacete coach Alberto González characterized his team’s situation as not bad and said the club is well classified, while acknowledging he would prefer more points. He outlined several absences and doubts that will affect selection: Agus Medina is carrying a minor problem and is a doubt until the last moment; Dani Bernabéu is in a similar situation following an awkward movement in Málaga. Confirmed absences include Neva, Higinio and Mariño, with Mariño set to miss several weeks after a back contusion that has worsened.
González warned that the defensive five that had offered balance earlier this season lacks a key component without Neva, and that the system does not function the same when that player is missing. The coach said the staff experimented last week with three central midfielders—one pivot and two mediocentros—to be more compact, but that setup did not produce the intended result. He described the current period as an ongoing search for solutions and expressed hope that the team will recover its best version.
On individual returns and development he noted that Pepe Sánchez has had more training days and is closer to competing, while Javi Villar is adapting from midfield to central defence and continues to grow. Younger players such as Álex Rubio and San Bartolomé are described as being in a developmental phase and gaining experience in the division. González also emphasized respect for Almería’s investment and squad strength and said the reception for Jon Morcillo should be warm and appreciative.
Match dynamics will hinge on selection decisions forced by the absences and on whether Almería’s momentum holds. If key home players remain unavailable, continuity in Albacete’s preferred system will be harder to sustain; if Almería secures the win outlined in recent coverage, the visitors would move to a position where direct promotion could be confirmed in the short term. Uncertainties about fitness and formation mean the tactical battle on the pitch will be decisive for both promotion ambitions and immediate league standing.
