Almeria's Fight to Avoid Infamy in Upcoming Clash with Athletic Bilbao

Hard to believe as it sounds, in the story that keeps unfolding, captivating football fans in Spain, Almeria, aka the Rojiblancos, find themselves at the brink of an undesirable record as their latest defeat read 1-2 against Valencia. That defeat has made the club's current season scoreless run a 23-match sequence. It represents a fateful record because it ties the 1997-98 Sporting Huesca season-long losing streak of 23 consecutive matches. Staring down the barrel of a historic unprecedented anti-record, the Andalusian outfit beckons the spectre of being the worst team in Spain football ever.

In addition, Almeria is dangerously close to amassing the least number of points for the entire season the league's championship adopted the 38-match format. With only six points to their name, they could finish the season with the most minor points a team has ever earned, a record currently co-owned by Sporting (1997-98) and Logrones (1994-95) with thirteen points each.

Optimism accompanied the beginning of the season for Almeria under the leadership of Vicente Moreno. The team, spurred by considerable investment and without the difficulties that the financial problems could bring, was the dark horse of the championship. But, the reality has been markedly different, though. Having played 23 rounds, Almeria remains winless, picking up six draws. The abysmal showing by the team has been most acute during the October term. All six points have been accrued from drab, goalless draws, with one-third categorized as successive post-Christmas affairs.

The team frequently fails to turn scoring chances into goals, as evident in their recent meetings with Betis, Mallorca, and Girona. While another team in context, Athletic Bilbao, ended their 10-game winless streak by bagging a convincing 4-0 win against Mallorca, there is always room for redemption when there is a will, even in the most trying of seasons.

Both sides have to deal with injuries and suspensions as well. The first line of Almeria is weakened thanks to the suspension of Leo Baptistao and the injuries of Ibrahima Kone and Luis Javier Suarez. Also, the most essential central defender, Cesar Montes, is unavailable. Sports-wise, Athletic have their fair share of woes, with injuries forcing Nico Williams and top scorer Guruzeta out of the game, adding to the team's work in La Liga.

While Almeria readies for its upcoming games, the team's management and fans doubtless know that their current circumstances possess a historical dimension. It is not only a matter of not setting a new low in the history of Spanish football but also about finding themselves again with the performance that had already hyped them into the great surprise of the season. Time is running out, and the strain is ramping up; the next; this will most probably define Almeria's season and how they will be remembered in La Liga history.