Sporting de Gijon vs Almeria preview - Canella: A win would be massive

Posted Sunday, March 20, 2011 by PA

Sporting Gijon defender Roberto Canella feels the clash with relegation rivals Almeria is a key game in their fight to avoid the drop, but refuses to go as far as classifying it as a "final".

Sporting are currently 17th in the Primera Division, three points above 18th-placed Almeria and the relegation zone.

Both teams have been picking up points recently, with Sporting having lost just once in six games and Almeria once in five, and a victory for either side at El Molinon would be another big step in the right direction.

Canella, whose side claimed a remarkable last-gasp 1-1 draw at Villarreal last week despite being reduced to nine men, said: "We're in the final straight and if we get the win we would hurt a direct rival.

"Not only this but we would gain confidence at getting further away from the relegation places."

The full-back preferred not to get carried away with the importance of the game however, adding: "If we lose we still have opportunities to try and fix the situation. We don't like to talk of finals because there's still a long way to go, 10 games are a lot of points. But, it is a key encounter.

"We also need to think that after game we visit the Santiago Bernabeu (against Real Madrid) and it's very difficult to pick up points there, but now we face Almeria and we can't lose focus.

"If we are a team it will be very difficult for them to beat us, we've already shown we can play well and on Sunday, with the support of our fans, it will be much easier for us to get the three points."

Almeria followed up their 2-1 away win over Hercules a fortnight ago with a 2-2 draw against Atletico Madrid last time out, twice fighting back from a goal down.

That result left Jose Luis Oltra's side level on 26 points with the other two teams in the relegation zone, Malaga and Hercules.

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