Albacete and Córdoba meet at the Carlos Belmonte at 20:30 in the sixth round of LaLiga Hypermotion, with both clubs arriving after very different recent nights. Albacete took a 1-1 draw away to Granada, while Córdoba were beaten 2-0 by Almería at El Arcángel.
What the night decided
The match is scheduled as a domestic second-tier fixture rather than a European tie, but its importance is clear for two sides looking to steady their early-season momentum.
Albacete’s last outing ended level in Granada. Owen put Granada in front before Higinio converted a penalty to bring Albacete back into the game, with VAR playing a decisive part in preventing another defeat for the visitors. Coach Alberto González described the result as fair.
Córdoba, by contrast, were silenced at home by Almería. Cipenga and Thalys supplied the goals in a 2-0 away win, extending concerns over Córdoba’s opening to the campaign. Their start has been described as worse than in each of the previous three seasons.
Iván Ania believes his side’s points return has not reflected its performances, saying Córdoba have collected fewer points than their football merits. Nélson Monte has also insisted that pressure does not trouble him, while Monterrubio said the club remain calm because the team have not yet reached its true level.
Team selections at the Carlos Belmonte
The published Albacete selection was listed as Carlos Marín, Lorenzo, Javi Moreno, Lluís, Neva, Ortuño, Javi Villar, Corpas, Agus Medina, Soberón and Álex Rubio. Soberón and Álex Rubio were highlighted as a potential attacking partnership.
Córdoba’s listed XI was Guilherme, Egoitz, Álex Martín, Rubén Alves, Tasende, Isma Ruiz, Yussi Diarra, Eder, Carracedo, Diego Bri and Percan.
Other team lists connected with the fixture named Mariño, Bernabéu, Fran Gámez, Velilla, Antonio David, Pacheco, Albarracín, Inglés, Higinio and Valverde for Albacete, while Córdoba were associated with Iker Álvarez, Juan Gutiérrez, Nélson Monte, Albarrán, Budesca, Damián Cáceres, Theo Zidane, Kevin Medina, Ghailan, Enol and Ibai Sanz.
Questions around Córdoba’s response
Córdoba travel with scrutiny on their second-half performances, the left-back position and the club’s difficult beginning under Ania. There has also been a noted rise in the province’s presence among the club’s season-ticket holders.
For Albacete, the aim is to turn the point earned in Granada into a stronger sequence at home. Higinio’s penalty rescued their previous league outing; the Carlos Belmonte now offers the chance to build on it.
