Almería will go into the final fixture of the La Liga season with Champions League-chasing Valencia knowing that only a minor miracle will save them from the drop.
The hosts are two places and two points adrift of safety going into the final day of the season, and have suffered morale-draining narrow defeats to top-half teams in both of their last two fixtures.
Ximo Navarro is unavailable through injury, meaning that Michel Macedo can stake a claim to be in the first team at right-back for Almería. Angel Trujillo was sent off in their recent defeat at Sevilla, so Antonio Marin is likely to start in the centre of defence.
Valencia forward Rodrigo is still serving a suspension, while his fellow former Benfica team-mate Enzo Perez could start with Andre Gomes injured despite carrying a minor knock himself.
Neither side's recent form is anything to shout about, but predictably it is the visitors who have enjoyed the superior results in recent weeks as they look to hold on to fourth place and a Champions League qualifying spot.
They are in fact unbeaten in their last five but three of these games were drawn - though one of these points came from a well-deserved draw with Real Madrid at the Bernabéu.
Meanwhile, Almería haven't won in four games and have lost three of their last four in the league as Granada and Deportivo have pulled away from them in the battle to avoid relegation.
But on-loan Villarreal midfielder Javi Espinosa remains in upbeat spirits, saying that his team-mates have not yet given up hopes of survival.
"People from outside are transmitting very positive energy," he insisted. "We are all united; this symbol of 'Almería never gives up' has got to me deep inside and it is encouraging me a lot. "
"We are confident and eager to play this final, the team is calm and confident to win. All of our rivals are facing difficult teams."
He also feels confident that the hosts can match their opponents, but warned that any mistake against a team such as Valencia's could prove fatal.
"We can do damage in many ways; against Sevilla we played a spectacular first half and controlled periods of play, and so we can play Valencia as equals", he continued.
"They have a lot of quality and we have to be very careful because any loose ball can end up as a goal."
However, Valencia and Spain forward Paco Alcácer is not entertaining any thoughts of complacency as he looks to ensure Champions League qualification, while a top-three finish is still mathematically possible.
"We have had a very good season and we just need finish it off in the last game of the season," he stated. "If we do not win in Almería, all the points we've earned this year will have been for nothing.
"We know we have to give everything and all I want is to win. If we do not finish in the Champions League spots, I'm not going to go home happy.
"After the draw against Celta, the team are looking forward to the game and are eager to reach our objective. We shouldn’t have to have pressure to win, as we have to take this as just another game. We are able to beat any side and we have ninety minutes to get the win, so there is no hurry.
Almería are fighting against relegation but we are competing to get into the Champions League; nobody will want to lose the game and that makes it an attractive and competitive encounter."