Atletico Madrid defeated Almeria 4-2 in La Liga. The fixture is part of the Regular Season - 4 stage in the 2013 season. The full-time result capped a Atletico Madrid vs Almeria meeting in La Liga with detailed post-match statistics available on Sportra. This match centre covers lineups, live events, player ratings, team statistics, xG, head-to-head history, and related news for Atletico Madrid and Almeria. On Sportra you can view xG, lineups, match statistics, events, player ratings, predictions, head-to-head history, and related news for this fixture.
La LigaRecorded meetings: 0 (available previous meetings, not necessarily all-time).
Manchester United goalkeeper Radek Vitek is close to completing a permanent move to Middlesbrough. Vitek scooped all the Bristol City Player of the Year awards last season but returned to United for the start of pre-season. Middlesbrough are one of a number of clubs keen to sign the Czech.
Barcelona don't seem to be giving up on their pursuit of Julian Alvarez, and Deco is reportedly set to hold an important meeting with the player's agent. Barcelona are not walking away from their pursuit of Julian Alvarez, even as recent reports suggested the operation had cooled. According to Sport and ‘Jijantes’, sporting director Deco and his assistant Joao Amaral have an imminent summit lined up with Fernando Hidalgo, the Argentine striker’s representative, with the meeting expected to take place in Madrid. The push comes after Alvarez publicly made clear his desire to leave during the 2026 World Cup, a declaration that piled pressure on Atletico Madrid and reinforced the Catalan club’s belief that the forward remains their top target to reinforce the attack. Barcelona already tested the waters with a €100 million offer during the World Cup, which Atletico rejected, and Wednesday is shaping up as a key date, with the club reportedly preparing a new, higher bid in an attempt to finally break the deadlock. Atletico‘s resistance, however, has been unmistakable. CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin has drawn a hard line in recent weeks, stating flatly that they don’t want to sell Alvarez and rejecting the idea of a sale outright: “We won’t accept an offer of 100 million euros, nor one of 150 or 200“. Julian Alvarez of Atletico Madrid. (Getty Images) The meeting with Hidalgo is not expected to bring the deal any closer to completion, nor does it signal a radical shift in the situation — its purpose is to revisit the roadmap drawn up months ago, maintain contact between the parties and stay ready to react if the picture changes in the coming weeks. Still, with Joan Laporta and Deco unwilling to give up while any opening remains, the summit is another sign that Barcelona intend to exhaust every option to land Alvarez as their marquee signing of the summer. Alvarez makes his desire to leave clear and loud Alvarez’s own words did plenty to fuel Barcelona’s pursuit. Speaking to ESPN after Argentina’s 2-0 win over Austria at the 2026 World Cup, the striker broke his silence on his future, admitting he had already discussed the situation internally at Atletico. “I don’t think it’s the right time to talk about this, but I can’t hide or pretend otherwise either. I try to be an honest person. I spoke with the people at the club, with those I needed to talk to,” Alvarez said. “I think a transfer is best for everyone, and I want to fulfill my dream“. The comments landed like a bombshell in Madrid, with Atletico fans reacting angrily to a player effectively asking out of the club in the middle of a World Cup. Alvarez did not name Barcelona directly in his remarks, but the destination has been an open secret, with the Argentine widely reported to see a move to Camp Nou — potentially as long-term successor to Robert Lewandowski under Hansi Flick — as the fulfillment of that dream.
Cristiano Ronaldo will once again be missing when Al-Nassr takes on Almeria in a preseason friendly, leaving supporters wondering why the Portuguese superstar has yet to return to action. Cristiano Ronaldo will once again be missing when Al-Nassr takes on Almeria in a preseason friendly, leaving supporters wondering why the Portuguese superstar has yet to return to action. The fixture carries added intrigue because of Ronaldo’s unique connection to the Spanish club, making his absence even more noticeable ahead of one of the final warm-up matches before the new campaign. The friendly, scheduled at the Cidade do Futebol in Oeiras, Portugal, is expected to provide another important test for both clubs. While Al-Nassr continues preparing under new head coach Ange Postecoglou, Almeria is using the occasion to sharpen its squad ahead of the new Segunda Division season. Almeria heads into the match after gradually building rhythm during preseason under new manager Xavier Garcia Pimienta. Friendlies against Aguilas, Granada, and Real Betis have helped the Spanish side improve fitness levels while allowing the coaching staff to implement a possession-based style of play. Monday’s preparations included another double training session, with recent signing Mikel Vesga fully integrated into the squad. Garcia Pimienta has continued emphasizing collective movement and ball retention as the foundations of his football philosophy. ⚽️ ¡Hoy tenemos un gran partido de pretemporada! 🤩🆚 @AlNassrFC.⌚️ 19:00 h. 🇪🇸📍🇵🇹 Cidade do Futebol.📺 Streaming en nuestro perfil de X. 🤝 Partido patrocinado por @Alawalyre.#PretemporadaUDA pic.twitter.com/c45iiRgZbn— UD Almería (@U_D_Almeria) August 4, 2026 On the opposite side, Al-Nassr is also entering the closing stages of its Portuguese training camp. The Saudi champion has produced mixed results so far, losing to Benfica B before defeating Merida and then suffering a 4-2 defeat against Estrela Amadora. Why Ronaldo is missing the match Cristiano Ronaldo will not feature against Almeria because he is still enjoying an extended recovery period following Portugal’s participation in the 2026 World Cup. According to multiple reports, the decision has nothing to do with injury or fitness concerns. Instead, Al-Nassr has granted its captain additional time off before the demanding 2026-27 season begins. Reports indicate Ronaldo will only return after Al-Nassr completes its preseason camp in Portugal. The Lisbon camp concludes on August 5, after which the squad will travel back to Riyadh before making final preparations for the Saudi Pro League opener against Al-Fateh on August 15. That timeline would leave Ronaldo with roughly one week of full training before the competitive campaign begins. View this post on Instagram Ronaldo still expected to be involved Although he will not appear on the pitch, Ronaldo is reportedly expected to attend the match from the VIP section. Spanish newspaper Marca reports suggest the Portuguese icon will watch alongside businessman Mohammed Al-Khereiji, one of his closest business partners. His presence would allow him to support Al-Nassr while also acknowledging another important part of his soccer career away from playing. The visit has also fueled optimism that Ronaldo’s return to team training is drawing closer after several weeks away from the squad. This preseason friendly carries additional significance because the 41-year-old superstar became a part-owner of Almeria earlier this year. In February 2026, the Portuguese legend reportedly acquired a 25 percent ownership stake in the Spanish club through CR7 Sports Investments, partnering with Almeria owner Mohammed Al-Khereiji.
Barcelona's pursuit of Julian Alvarez appears to have slowed down, and coach Hansi Flick addressed the situation, saying he's only focused on the squad he already has. Hansi Flick downplayed any suggestion that Barcelona are actively chasing Julian Alvarez this summer, addressing the rumors directly after his side’s preseason friendly against Birmingham on Friday. Asked about the possibility of signing the Argentine, the German coach was blunt: “I focus on the team I have now and the players I have now, I don’t dream,” he said, before adding, “I’m here and what I see is that we have a lot of quality, also with the young players”. The comments come amid persistent speculation linking Alvarez to Barcelona, driven largely by the club’s genuine interest in the forward following his runner-up finish with Argentina at the 2026 World Cup. During the tournament, Alvarez himself requested to leave Atletico Madrid, saying “I spoke with the club, and I believe the best thing for everyone is a transfer,” while also revealing the desire to fulfill his childhood dream. Julian Alvarez of Atletico Madrid. Barcelona have shown real intent to explore a move, but the situation runs into a hard wall in Atletico Madrid, who have firmly rejected any suggestion of selling their star striker regardless of the player’s own preferences. For now, Barcelona have already completed the arrivals of forwards Karim Adeyemi and Jesse Bisiwu, while the pursuit of the Argentine striker appears to have cooled amid Atletico Madrid’s resistance to letting him go. Atletico Madrid file a complaint against Barcelona with FIFA The standoff has escalated well beyond transfer talk. Atletico Madrid CEO Miguel Ángel Gil Marín confirmed the club will formally file a complaint with FIFA against Barcelona, accusing them of negotiating with Alvarez while he remains under contract during the protected period, commonly known as “tapping up”. Spain’s football federation has also opened an extraordinary proceeding against Barcelona and appointed an investigator to look into the alleged approach toward a player tied to Atletico until June 2030. The case carries real teeth: under Article 93 of the Disciplinary Code, potential sanctions range from fines to a one-to-two-year suspension for the player himself, with a minimum four-match ban, while Barcelona could face partial or total stadium closures of up to three matches or two months, a points deduction, or a transfer registration ban.
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