Real Sociedad vs Almeria preview - Labaka wary of Almeria

Posted Saturday, January 29, 2011 by PA

Real Sociedad defender Mikel Labaka has warned his team-mates not to underestimate Almeria despite their 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Barcelona.

Almeria were hammered in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final at the Nou Camp to take the aggregate score in the two games they have played against Barca this season to 13-0.

They have, though, taken four points from their last two Primera Division games, including a 1-1 draw with title-chasing Real Madrid, to boost their survival chances.

A 3-2 home win over Osasuna last weekend moved them to within a point of safety, and just three of 14th-placed Racing Santander.

And Labaka feels their midweek defeat means Almeria will be more focused than ever on survival.

"They will be looking more to the league," he said on Sociedad's official website. "And they have had some positive results lately so they will come to win."

Team-mate Diego Rivas, who should be fit despite a virus earlier in the week, added: "They are a team who have the same objective as us of staying up."

Sociedad look the more likely of the two sides to achieve that aim as they go into the game in 11th place, eight points above the drop zone.

They went down to two Giuseppe Rossi goals in a 2-1 defeat at Villarreal last time out, but enjoyed a 4-0 win over Getafe the game before.

They have not won at home since a 2-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao on December 5, though.