Los Indálicos have climbed back to the First Division after a string of near misses, and now the real challenge begins: turning that promotion spark into lasting top-flight success. The 2022-2023 season was a milestone for Almería, as the club fulfilled the dream of returning to Spain’s top tier. While the rojiblancos celebrated the return, they also faced the hard truth that staying up would require sustained effort and smart management, not a brief surge of triumph.
In the context of La Liga, the question isn’t only about reaching the Primera División but about carving out a safe, enduring presence. Almería entered the campaign with ambition, yet the journey proved demanding. The team found themselves sweating through the final stretch, needing consistent results to ensure that their time in the elite wasn’t a temporary spectacle but a foundation for future seasons. This distinction matters because it frames how clubs measure success in the modern Spanish league—success isn’t just promotion, it’s continuity at the highest level.
So, what does a team need to stay safe in La Liga, and how many points are typically required to secure a place in the top division for another year? Historically, many observers have cited 42 points as a benchmark for safety. Yet this figure isn’t a guaranteed threshold. Over the past decade, only two seasons showed a burnished path to 42 points, while several campaigns ended with far fewer. In recent years, teams hovering in the 35 to 39 point range have felt the pressure of relegation avoidance more acutely, highlighting the variability from season to season.
At the stage of the 2022-2023 season, Almería found themselves with 26 points. The task was clear: maximize performance in the closing third of the campaign. It wasn’t just about adding points but about building momentum—finding a rhythm that could translate into wins when it mattered most. The mathematics of survival suggested a considerable climb, with projections indicating that accumulating roughly six additional wins could position the club more securely in the ladder, though the exact number of points required would depend on the results of other teams in the division.
As the season progressed, the landscape in the lower half of the table showed signs of change. Several teams in the relegation battles were collecting more points than usual, which could push the safe threshold higher or keep it closer to 40 rather than 42. Those dynamics imply that a one-size-fits-all answer may be less relevant than a club’s ability to adapt in real time, respond to competitive pressure, and seize opportunities in tight matches.
Looking ahead to a projected finish after the first round, an early snapshot suggested that reaching 20 points by that point could translate into roughly 40 by season’s end. While this projection would surpass the recent averages recorded in other campaigns, it would not necessarily demand the traditional 42-point target to signal sustainability. The practical takeaway is that a healthy accumulation in the early stages can set a solid foundation, while later rounds will determine whether the season ends with relief or the thrill of continued top-flight status.
In any season, parity becomes a defining feature. By the tenth round, the relegation battle often tightens, with many teams across the table dragged into the fight. Direct duels can swing the balance, and goal difference frequently becomes the deciding factor in unsettled outcomes. In the instance discussed, Almería found their goal average interwoven with other clubs, and results in key head-to-heads, such as matches against Cádiz, Sevilla, and Girona, contributed to the evolving narrative of the campaign.
Ultimately, the path to safety in La Liga combines resilience, tactical adjustments, and a steady accumulation of points. For Almería, the 2022-2023 season illustrated both the promise of returning to the élite and the necessity of sustaining that status through rigorous competition, game-by-game progress, and a relentless appetite for improvement. The broader lesson for clubs chasing permanence in the top flight is clear: promotion is just the beginning; staying up is a separate achievement that demands consistency, smart risk-taking, and the capacity to convert tough hours into enduring results. (Goal)