Villarreal vs Eibar preview - Cheryshev wants to turn on style

Posted Sunday, February 22, 2015 by PA

Villarreal winger Denis Cheryshev hopes his side repeat the attractive football they displayed in their Europa League win over Red Bull Salzburg, and not their drab performance at Rayo Vallecano, when they host Eibar on Sunday.

Marcelino's side followed the surprise 2-0 defeat in Vallecas last Sunday with a 2-1 win over Salzburg on Thursday, with the coach lamenting that his side had only ended the game with a one-goal advantage into the second leg, considering their superiority.

However, now their focus returns to the league and staying in the battle for the fourth Champions League spot, having slipped six points behind Valencia.

"We want to regain our form in the league after the game with Rayo, which we were very disappointed with," Cheryshev told a press conference.

"Now against Eibar we have to be strong again because we are playing at our home. We cannot afford to drop points in El Madrigal, we have to go out looking for the win."

Villarreal have no fresh injury concerns going into the game, but Marcelino might think twice about rotating his squad again, given how his side suffered against Rayo after starting without Cheryshev and top scorer Luciano Vietto.

The Yellow Submarine face an Eibar side in the midst of their worst run of form in their maiden season in the top flight, having lost four games on the bounce and not won since influential centre-back Raul Albentosa left for Derby County.

In spite of their hapless run, the Basque side are 10th in the Primera Division table and eight points above the relegation zone. And coach Gaizka Garitano insisted he was in no panic about his side's future in the top flight.

"I'm optimistic. We have 27 points and no-one gave us those points cheaply," he told a press conference.

"Villarreal are a team with a lot of power and they are better than us but that does not mean we will be putting on the brakes. We are strong in certain areas.

"It won't be easy but we have to go there thinking that we know how to play well, even with our limitations."

The coach confirmed that Manu del Moral has the medical all-clear after fracturing his cheekbone three weeks ago against Atletico Madrid, but the striker will have to wear a protective mask if he plays against Villarreal.

Italian forward Federico Piovaccari is suspended after getting sent off in the defeat at home to Elche, and full-back Abraham is injured.