Villarreal vs Sporting Gijon preview - Same again, urges Molina

Posted Monday, January 23, 2012 by PA

New Villarreal coach Jose Molina wants his side to use their recent home performance against Valencia as a blueprint for Monday's clash against fellow Primera Division strugglers Sporting Gijon.

Second-bottom Villarreal host third-bottom Sporting without a victory in their last 10 competitive matches, but they probably should have collected a triumph in their last home game - Molina's debut on the bench - against local rivals Valencia a fortnight ago when they took a 2-0 lead after 18 minutes.

Valencia ultimately salvaged a 2-2 draw thanks to an 87th-minute equaliser, but Molina felt his side showed what they can do in that match and is hoping for more of the same against Sporting.

"The Valencia game should be a reference for us because we saw what we are capable of doing," said Molina, whose team slumped to a 3-0 loss at Atletico Madrid in his second match in charge last weekend.

"We want to play football like that because we've signed players who play like that. Then, we need to work hard and fight to the death in every game. That's the only way of picking up points, of getting out of this difficult situation and we can't think about what we've lost but of everything we have to gain.

"We have a new challenge, which is to get the three points and we have to go for all of them. If we win it will be important because we could get out of the relegation places, but there is still a lot for us to do."

He added: "All I'm concerned about is having a great game because we are going to need it to beat a very difficult opponent like Sporting."

Villarreal welcome back Javier Camunas and Marco Ruben after injury but star striker Giuseppe Rossi continues to be absent.

Sporting make the trip to the east coast of Spain just two points above Villarreal but with confidence boosted by last weekend's 2-1 win over big-spending Malaga.

Ruud van Nistelrooy's 88th-minute equaliser for Malaga looked to have denied Sporting, but substitute Oscar Trejo netted a stunning injury-time winner to give Manuel Preciado's side the points.

Looking ahead to the game, Sporting defender Alberto Botia said: "We're coming off a win and we're going to try and take advantage of that momentum."

He added: "It's going to be a difficult encounter, because both teams are in the relegation zone. Villarreal have a good team."

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