Cordoba C.F. vs Eibar preview - Garitano relishing Cordoba clash

Eibar coach Gaizka Garitano is beaming with pride ahead of his side's trip to Cordoba on Friday.

Garitano's side sit in the top half of the Primera Division having won seven and lost six of their 18 games since gaining a historic promotion to the Spanish top flight last term.

"I am happy," Garitano told the Spanish press. "My team competes in every game, regardless of who we face.

"We never relax and we fight from start to finish.

"My responsibility is to make sure my team gives its best in every game."

Last weekend's 2-1 home triumph over Getafe followed their 2-1 win at Espanyol and lifted Eibar to an impressive eighth place, 11 points above the drop zone.

"We played well against Getafe and we have confidence in our game," Garitano said. "We know that it's unthinkable to win games in La Liga without suffering.

"We are on the right path but there is still a long way to go."

The Basque minnows travel to the Nuevo Arcangel Stadium having to do without winger Ander Capa.

Capa scored the winner against Getafe but picked up his fifth yellow card and must serve a one-match ban on Friday.

Rivals Cordoba welcome back top scorer Nabil Ghilas for the encounter at Nuevo Arcangel.

The Algeria forward, who has scored five league goals so far, missed Cordoba's 1-0 triumph at Rayo Vallecano on Monday with a muscular injury.

An own goal from Rayo's Abdoulaye Ba lifted Cordoba out of the Primera Division relegation zone and into 15th place, just one point above 18th-place Levante.

The Andalusian outfit had failed to win any of their first 13 games in La Liga but their latest triumph was a third in five outings.

"We know we will have to work very hard in every game, give all that we have and be strong defensively to achieve our aim this season," Cordoba coach Miroslav Djukic said.

"The important thing is that we have taken three valuable points in our battle to avoid the drop."

The hosts, who have won just one of their nine league games at home this season, will be without injured defender Inigo Lopez.