Villarreal vs Valencia preview - Aquino hints at wanting more

After weeks of Villarreal's players insisting their main aim for their first season back in the Primera Division is to achieve survival, winger Javier Aquino has hinted they may harbour greater ambitions.

Marcelino's side occupy the fourth and final Champions League spot, and on Sunday host Valencia, who are well accustomed to fighting to get into Europe's elite competition.

The two clubs are little more than 60 kilometres apart in distance, and four points separate them in the league table.

Aquino, who joined Villarreal in January of this year, has never faced Valencia before, but is more than aware of how important this game is both in terms of local pride and the impact the result could have on his side's season.

"This is a big game, my teammates have told me all about it, and that's why we want to win, so we can make the fans and everyone associated with the club happy," the Mexican told reporters.

"We're going to try and stay in fourth place, we like being there and want to remain there, we are in a privileged position and Valencia are a direct rival."

Miroslav Djukic's side go into the game in confident mood off the back of an emphatic 5-1 win over Swiss outfit St Gallen in the Europa League, but Aquino was confident of his own team's chances against them.

"They won in the Europa League and that will motivate them and put their minds at ease, but we are very motivated and we are good enough to perform well against them.

"Fourth spot is something we aspire to and if we can keep up this start to the season, I think we can achieve it."

And he admitted: "Fighting at the top of the table is far more exciting than fighting for survival."

Neither coach has many injury concerns, with left-back Bojan Jokic Villarreal's only absentee, while goalkeeper Diego Alves is the only player who will be missing for the visitors.

Both sides lost their last domestic games, Villarreal losing 2-0 at Athletic Bilbao, and Valencia going down 2-1 at home to Real Sociedad.

After the setback in San Mames, Aquino underlined the importance of returning to winning ways.

"It's an important game because we lost the last match and also because we are up against Valencia and we know how significant that is," he said.

"It will be a difficult game, they are a good side with strong individuals and they will be dangerous, but I think we need to keep playing in the same way as we have been if we want to be able to win."