La Rosaleda is set for a match of necessity. Málaga CF host Villarreal this Thursday in the sixth round of La Liga with the clear aim of breaking a negative run and securing a win to boost their league position.
The Blue and Whites arrive at the game having strung together five official matches without a victory. Their last result was a 1-1 draw at Celta Vigo's ground on September 13, with Adrián Niño scoring in the 83rd minute. Their form over the last five games reads DDLDL, with three draws and two defeats. This lack of wins has placed the Málaga CF side in an uncomfortable spot in the table, increasing the pressure for the clash against the Castellón-based team.
Match preview
Villarreal, meanwhile, visit La Rosaleda after beating Real Sociedad 3-1 at home in their last league outing. The team managed by Marcelino García Toral typically plays a combinative and offensive style, with Gerard Moreno and Georges Mikautadze as attacking references. Facing them, the Málaga CF defence, which in Vigo consisted of Herrero, Rafita, Recio, Galilea and Salinas, will need to be especially focused.
The midfield, with Larrubia, Merino and Martínez, will have the task of disrupting the Yellow Submarine's link-up play and supplying balls to forwards Chupe and Dani Lorenzo. The full squad and their stats are available on our stats page.
After this fixture, Málaga CF will face a break from league competition before their next match, which is at home against Athletic Club on November 29. A win over Villarreal would provide a huge morale boost for the long stretch ahead. The full schedule details can be checked on fixtures.
