Malaga vs Villarreal preview - Yellow Submarine looking up

Villarreal coach Juan Carlos Garrido is hoping his side can continue their recent domestic improvement and strike a blow against a potential European rival when they travel to Malaga on Monday night.

Villarreal had a miserable start to the season, winning just one of their opening 12 Primera Division and Champions League matches, while suffering seven defeats.

The Yellow Submarine slumped to yet another loss on Tuesday when they were beaten 3-1 by Bayern Munich in the Champions League, a result that ensured Villarreal would finish bottom of Group A and left them out of contention even for a Europa League berth.

However, away from their European troubles, Villarreal have enjoyed a better time of it recently in La Liga, and seven points from their last three games has lifted Garrido's men up to 12th in the standings, four points off sixth-placed Sevilla and the European spots.

Now Garrido wants his team to build on those results against a Malaga side who are currently in fifth spot and looking set to challenge for a top-four berth this season.

Garrido said: "Of the last nine points we've taken seven and I think that the dynamic of recent weeks has been very positive. Now what we need to do is to keep moving forward.

"The Malaga match is very important we know perfectly well that we are playing against a direct rival, against one of the teams who are going to be fighting for a place in Europe.

"We believe at the end of the season we will also be fighting to be in Europe and, of course, playing against an opponent who has the same objectives as you always has a bigger significance."

Garrido welcomes back Gonzalo Rodriguez after injury but he still a host of absentees to cope with, as Giuseppe Rossi, Nilmar, Cani, Javier Camunas, Cristian Zapata, Jose Catala and Gerard Bordas are all missing.

Malaga's former Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini also has his injury worries as well though, and captain Jesus Gamez, Julio Baptista, Weligton, Joaquin Sanchez and Eliseu are all absent for the encounter at La Rosaleda.

"It's not easy when you have injured players, but we're confident, we're happy with the squad and this is the time to show it," said Pellegrini, who spent five years at El Madrigal before leaving Villarreal for Real Madrid in 2009.

The Chilean said: "I have good memories from my time there, both personal and sporting ones.

"They've had it tough in the Champions League which has been shown in the league. Now they are trying to turn it around.

"They're a difficult rival, a team from a solid institution with more than 10 years demonstrating that they can compete at various levels."

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