FCBARCELONA.CAT

14.03.2009 13:19

Unbeaten against Almeria

Berta Brau

FC Barcelona have a record of five wins and two draws against Almeria in the league, but the Catalan outfit have only ever won just once in the Estadio de los Juegos Mediterráneos, where they will play this weekend.

The Blaugrana and the Andalucian side have met on seven previous occasions in the league and the balance of results is favourable for Barça as they have never been beaten by the club currently coach by Hugo Sánchez.

A team of two faces

Almeria have two very different sides to them when they play against FC Barcelona as they have been beaten on each of the four times that they have visited the Camp Nou. But in the Estadio de los Juegos Mediterráneos it is Barça that have struggled for a result as they have won just once there, while drawing on their two other visits.

Two phases

Games between the teams are divided into two phases with the first set of games coming in the 1980's and the second set now. The first season that the Andalucian club were in the top flight was in 1979/80 and saw them lose 2-0 in Barcelona before drawing 1-1 at home. The following season the Blaugana won 6-0 in Camp Nou before heading south and coming away with a convincing 5-2 triumph to help push their opponents towards the second division.

Almeria bounce back

Some 26 years later, Almeria returned to the top flight and faced Barça once more as Unai Emery side enjoyed life in la Primera last term after being promoted. Again Camp Nou was not a happy stadium for the visitors as they lost 2-0, but in the Estadio de los Juegos Mediterráneos they were in better form as they held Frank Rijkaard's team to a 2-2 draw.

The previous meeting

The last tie the two teams met was earlier this season in the Camp Nou and a hat-trick from Samuel Eto'o and a goal each from Thierry Henry and Dani Alves saw Barcelona win 5-0.