Fourth hosts second in the Spanish Segunda Division on Monday in what promises to be a thrilling encounter between the league’s best attack and its finest defence
Tenerife defender José León has confessed that Almeria striker Umar Sadiq is one of the Spanish La Liga Smartbank’s most accomplished forwards, ahead of the two clubs’ matchday 32 clash on Monday.
León, a Real Madrid academy product, has been crucial to Tenerife having the stingiest defence in the Segunda Division, with the Chicharreros conceding only 26 goals in 31 games.
But the 27-year-old’s defensive nous will be tested to its limits when he goes face-to-face with the joint-most prolific attack in the league, having the division’s most valuable player at its tip.
Second-place Almeria has managed 50 league goals this term, with Sadiq contributing nearly half (24) of those. The Nigerian has scored 15 goals and supplied nine assists.
Seven of Sadiq’s goals have come in his last six games, an indication that the former AS Roma starlet is in top form at the moment.
And if he shrugs off an injury concern, the 25-year-old forward would be a handful for Leon and his Tenerife teammates.
But the center-back is convinced that the home side has mastered an effective formula to contain Sadiq and nullify his goal threat.
“He (Umar Sadiq) is one of the best players in the category; the numbers prove it,” León said, as per AS.
“Having a player like him, we will have to be focused to the maximum, be forceful and be a strong block in defense as we have been all year.”
Sadiq was among the goals while León was on the bench when Almeria forced a 3-1 defeat down the throat of Tenerife in the first leg at the Estadio de los Juegos Mediterráneos back in September.
In the corresponding fixture last season, Sadiq laid on the assist for Largie Ramazani’s winner in a 1-0 away victory at the Estadio Heliodoro Rodríguez Lopéz in May. León was still at Alcorcon at the time.
