Villarreal vs Real Betis preview - Marcelino urges caution

Posted Saturday, March 01, 2014 by PA

Villarreal and Real Betis may be at opposite ends of the Primera Division table but Yellow Submarine boss Marcelino is taking nothing for granted when the two teams meet at El Madrigal on Sunday.

Villarreal are fifth in the table and chasing the fourth Champions League spot, while Betis sit rock bottom, having endured their worst ever season in the top flight, with just 14 points from 25 games.

However, they pulled off an unlikely 2-0 win away to Rubin Kazan on Thursday to qualify for the last 16 of the Europa League, setting up a derby with local rivals Sevilla.

And that is why Marcelino is refusing to underestimate the Andalusian side, saying: "I am not complacent at all about Betis, I mistrust them more than any other team".

The Villarreal coach believes Gabriel Calderon's side are capable of a lot more than their league position suggests.

"The fact they haven't won a lot of games doesn't mean they cannot win games or that they have a bad team," he said.

"They showed that in Kazan and against (Athletic) Bilbao, in a match that they didn't win, but that doesn't mean they didn't do enough to deserve to win (Betis lost 2-0).

"Therefore, they will be difficult opponents for many reasons. They are on a bad run and have suffered, but they've got a lot of quality and good players, and that's why we have to be careful and make sure we're at our best."

Giovani dos Santos has a niggling muscular problem but Marcelino is hopeful he will be fit in time for the game, although he confirmed that Chechu Dorado would miss out due to injury.

Cani, meanwhile, could return to action for the first time since injuring his knee at the end of November, and Oliver Torres could make his debut since joining the club on loan from Atletico Madrid, now that he has recovered from a dislocated shoulder.

Betis will be without the suspended pair of Lolo Reyes and Damien Perquis, both of whom were sent off in the defeat against Athletic, but welcome back centre-back Antonio Amaya from a one-game suspension, and returned from Russia without any fresh injuries.