Almeria 2 - 0 Osasuna

Sanchez demands improved home form

Updated: November 7, 2009, 11:25 AM UK

Almeria coach Hugo Sanchez insists his side cannot afford to let any more home points slip away when they host Osasuna at the Estadio de los Juegos Mediterraneos.

Almeria boasted one of the best home records in the Primera Division last season, winning 11 of their 19 matches and losing just four.

They have found it difficult to repeat that form this term and lost 3-0 against Valencia in their last home match, as well as being held to disappointing draws by Real Valladolid and Racing Santander.

So far Almeria have only managed to beat Getafe in front of their own fans, and Sanchez knows it is crucial that they pick up all three points against 10th-placed Osasuna tomorrow.

"We are going to face an opponent who are at our level, and we are playing at home, so we cannot fail because we have already allowed some very important points to escape from us at our stadium,'' said Sanchez, whose side are 15th in the standings on nine points.

"We are a modest club who compete in the best league in the world. In theory, our position is understandable taking into consideration our budget and the number of season-ticket holders we have, but obviously we want to be up the top and we are working hard to higher up the table.

"We know that we are just two points above the relegation zone, but also only three points behind Osasuna. We need to put the pressures and demands on us to one side because there is a lot of the season left.

"What we really need is the support and team-work of everybody, because it's in all our interests to keep Almeria in the Primera Division for many years. There's no fear in the team, and I hope that there isn't any outside of the team either.

"The three points are very important for us to be more relaxed, but they will also be important for Osasuna, so it will be a very difficult and complicated game.''

Juan Vargas is set to miss the rest of the season through injury for Almeria, and Swedish striker Henok Goitom is also likely to be unavailable again this weekend even though he is on the road to recovery.

Fernando Soriano is back from suspension, though, and could feature in midfield.

After their miracle escape from relegation last season when they finished a point above the drop zone after taking seven points from their final three games against top trio Barcelona, Real Madrid and Sevilla, Osasuna have enjoyed a decent start to this campaign.

They sit comfortably in mid-table following three wins, three defeats and three draws, and last weekend held leaders Barca 1-1 at home.

Goalkeeper Ricardo said: "The team is very well. We play as a unit, in which all the players shine, from the goalkeeper to the centre-forward. The best is yet to come and I hope we can do good things, but we still have a long way to go for that.''

Unsurprisingly, Osasuna coach Jose Antonio Camacho has named the same squad that drew with Barca for the trip to Almeria, with Javier Portillo, Dady, Kristian Vadocz, Roversio, Jokin Esparza and the injured Ludovic Delporte the men to miss out.