Almería coach Xavi García Pimienta has warned that Real Oviedo are arriving in an upward moment of form ahead of this Saturday's clash in the 11th round of LaLiga Hypermotion. The blue-and-whites, sitting ninth with 17 points from a record of five wins, two draws and three losses, visit the league leaders with high morale after two consecutive wins and the recent appointment of Julián Calero as their new manager. In their last outing, Oviedo beat AD Ceuta FC 1-2 on Sunday 18 October.

García Pimienta was clear in his pre-match press conference. "Oviedo are arriving in a good moment, clearly they are improving," stated the Almería strategist.

The leader's challenge

Almería host Oviedo at the Estadio de los Juegos Mediterráneos on an impressive run of seven consecutive victories that puts them top with 24 points. García Pimienta's side aims to extend their lead at the top of the table, while Oviedo tries to cut the seven-point gap to first place. For the Blues, this match is the toughest test since Calero's arrival, in a context where their last defeat was a heavy 4-1 loss to Eldense on 2 October. In their last five games, the team has recorded three wins and two defeats, showing an inconsistent but positive line.

Almería's squad faces the match with several important absences. Players Mikel Vesga, Daijiro Chirino, Nico Melamed and Rodrigo Ely are injured and will not be available. This leaves left-footed defender Federico Bonini as a key piece in the local backline. Meanwhile, Oviedo arrive with confidence after coming from behind to beat AD Ceuta FC (1-2) last week, with goals from Samuel Rodríguez de la Riva and Carlos Domínguez, their top scorer this season with four goals in eight appearances. The forward had already scored a brace in the 3-1 win over Eibar on 12 October.

Saturday's match will be Calero's first against a top-side, an immediate test for the new project. With a recent run of three wins in their last five games, Oviedo want to prove their improvement is solid. A win would bring them closer to the promotion spots, while Almería want to maintain their unstoppable momentum. The match kicks off on Saturday 24 October at 9:00 PM. So far this season, Oviedo have scored 13 goals and conceded 10, giving them a positive goal difference of +3.

The original report is at Mundo Deportivo