by Valencia and Villarreal will open this Tuesday 2024 with an autonomous duel of the Valencian Community in which both They seek to overcome their absences to avoid relegation at the close of the first round.something the locals would almost definitely do if they won.
Rubén Baraja’s team ands tenth and twenty-three points, which gives it a cushion of ten points compared to the penultimate. Marcelino García Toral’s team is thirteenth with nineteen points and their rent is six points with that relegation zone.
The clash will be marked by a new return of Marcelino to Mestallawhere he is idolized by his fans after having been the last coach who led them to win titles and play in the Champions League.but also for having been a victim of the majority disowned maximum shareholder Peter Lim.
Those of Baraja They seek to take advantage of their rival’s defensive weakness But, with a short staff, they are tight-lipped. The Moroccan midfielder Selim Amallah and the Franco-Guinean center back Mouctar Diakhaby are certain to be absent due to being in the Africa Cup; Thierry Rendall due to suspension; and André Almeida due to injury. Besides, Hugo Duro and Javi Guerra have suffered from the flu.
However, in the balmy victory with which 2023 closed in the Rayo Vallecano field, midfielder Hugo Guillamón and winger Sergi Canós, who had not shone during this course, They confirmed his improvement and can give the technician new options, that also recover José Gayà after more than a month without playing.
The main doubt is in the center of the defense, although in principle Gabriel Paulista has more options than Cenk Özkacar to accompany the settled Cristhian Mosquera.
With a thinner cushion with the lower zone and after a much more eventful first round, Villarreal arrives at this duel with a greater need for points and to reinforce its image, although at least they do so with a clear model: that of the beginning of the Clash against Celta in the victory with which they closed 2023. A victory at Mestalla would leave them one point behind the locals, an important prize after a very difficult start.
The Castellón residents also arrive weakened by casualties. Juan Foyth, Yeremy Pino, Denis Suárez, Alfonso Pedraza and Alex Sorloth are out due to injury. Santi Comesaña and Álex Baena are due to suspension and Aïssa Mandi for being called up for the Africa Cup. Raúl Albiol is a doubt.
On the other hand, the Asturian coach will be able to recover to Gerard Moreno, Francis Coquelin, Étienne Capoue, Alberto Moreno or Matteo Gabbia, that despite being about to leave the club he will be available and, in fact, has many options to be a starter.
Probable lineups:
Valencia: Mamardashvili; Foulquier, Paulista, Mosquera, Gayà; Fran Pérez, Pepelu, Javi Guerra, Canós; Diego López or Yaremchuk and Hugo Duro.
Villarreal: Jorgensen; Adrià Altimira, Matteo Gabbia, Jorge Cuenca, Alberto Moreno; Ilias Akomach, Parejo, Capoue, Romero; Morales and Gerard Moreno.
Referee: Sánchez Martínez (Murcian school)
Stadium: Mestalla
Time: 21:30 CET (GMT+1)
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Classification: Valencia 10th (23 points), Villarreal 13th (19 points).
The key: Valencia trusts in its intensity, Villarreal in improving its defensive weakness.
The fact: Marcelino has accumulated six games without losing against Valencia, three before occupying his bench and three after.
The phrase:
Baraja (Valencia): “I hope we do not lose the thread of the demand”
Marcelino (Villarreal): “Returning to Mestalla is very special, they were two extraordinary years combined with the love of the fans”
The environment: More than seven hundred Villarreal fans will fill the visiting stands and will contribute to Mestalla reaching full capacity
