Preview: Valencia vs. Villarreal - prediction, team news

Both Valencia and Villarreal will be looking to bounce back from defeats when they continue their respective La Liga campaigns with a clash at Mestalla on Friday night.

The home side will enter the contest off the back of a 3-0 defeat at Getafe last weekend, while Villarreal suffered a 2-0 home loss to league leaders Atletico Madrid.

Match preview

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There is no getting away from the fact that it has been a disappointing 2020-21 campaign for Valencia, who have picked up just 27 points from their 25 La Liga matches to occupy 14th position in the table.

Los Che are only five points clear of the relegation zone heading into Friday's clash, while they have lost 10 times in the league this season, including a 3-0 defeat away to Getafe last time out.

Javi Gracia 's side have only suffered three league defeats on their own patch this season, which is far from a disastrous record, but they will be facing a Villarreal side that have lost just twice on their travels and four times overall, with only leaders Atletico suffering fewer defeats this term.

Valencia have not actually finished lower than 12th in La Liga since the 1987-88 campaign, when they claimed 14th, and improvement will be needed across the board in the final weeks of the season if they are to push towards the top half of the division.

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Villarreal, meanwhile, will enter Friday's contest off the back of a 2-0 defeat at home to Atletico on Sunday, with an own goal from Alfonso Pedraza and second-half Joao Felix effort allowing the league leaders to triumph.

The Yellow Submarine are actually on a seven-game winless run in Spain's top flight, which has seen them drop down to seventh position in the table, two points behind sixth-placed Real Betis and five points behind fifth-placed Real Sociedad, who are actually now just six points off the top four.

Unai Emery 's side, as mentioned, have only lost four league games this season but have managed just eight wins, with too many draws (13) preventing them from pushing towards the Champions League positions.

Villarreal need to address their league form if they are to secure a top-six finish, but the Europa League is certainly a distraction, with the Spanish outfit preparing for a two-legged last-16 tie with Dynamo Kiev.

El Submarino Amarillo have been victorious in their last two league games with Valencia, including a 2-1 win on home soil earlier this season, but they suffered a 2-1 loss in the corresponding match last term.

Valencia La Liga form: DDDLDL

Valencia form (all competitions): DLWDWL

Villarreal La Liga form: DDDLDL

Villarreal form (all competitions): DLWDWL

Team News

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Valencia will again be without the services of Denis Cheryshev through injury, while Mouctar Diakhaby is suspended due to the red card that he picked up against Getafe.

Head coach Gracia is expected to shuffle his pack for Friday's contest, with Hugo Guillamon, Kevin Gameiro and Goncalo Guedes all pushing for spots in the starting XI.

Yunus Musah and Lee Kang-in could drop out of the side following the defeat to Getafe, but Carlos Soler, Daniel Wass and Uros Racic should retain their positions in midfield.

As for Villarreal, Francis Coquelin, Alberto Moreno, Mario Gaspar and Vicente Iborra remain unavailable for selection through injury, but the visitors did not pick up any fresh issues against Atletico.

Emery is likely to make changes from the side that started against the league leaders, with Pervis Estupinan and Fer Nino both in line to feature in the first XI.

Moi Gomez should keep his spot alongside Gerard Moreno in the final third of the field, while Dani Parejo and Manu Trigueros are almost certain to feature in midfield.

Valencia possible starting lineup:

Cillessen; Correia, Guillamon, Gabriel, Gaya; Wass, Soler, Racic, Guedes; Gomez, Gameiro

Villarreal possible starting lineup:

Asenjo; Foyth, Albiol, Torres, Estupinan; Trigueros, Capoue, Parejo; M Gomez, Gerard, Nino

We say: Valencia 1-1 Villarreal

Villarreal need to return to winning ways as they bid to stay in touch with the top six, but Valencia should also be fired up to secure all three points; we would not be surprised to see an away win here but have just backed a low-scoring draw as Valencia are unbeaten at home to the Yellow Submarine since 2017.

Top tip

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