MADRID, 30 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Real Sociedad receives Osasuna this Saturday (4:15 p.m.) in a duel corresponding to matchday 15 of LaLiga Santander, with the aim of defending their European position and confirming their good work in the final of the championship before the break, while Villarreal and Valencia meet on the last day of the year (16.15), in a match whose winner will approach Europe, now installed in the middle of the table.
Imanol Alguacil’s team knew how to straighten their course in the final stretch before the ‘rest’ for the World Cup and was able to retain their position in the Champions League. Now they will face the visit of the ‘rojillo’ group installed in fourth position with 26 points, one less than Atlético de Madrid. In the last league memory, the ‘txuri-urdin’ beat (1-2) a ‘touched’ Sevilla, after drawing (1-1) with Valencia in a remarkable end to the first part of the season.
The Basques must improve their defensive facet and be more consistent at the back, conceding 17 goals in the first 14 games, for only 19 goals in favor. As locals, their performance is poorer than away from the Reale Arena, with only three wins, 2 draws and 2 losses, in which this course is the pending issue. His two precedents before returning to LaLiga correspond to the Copa del Rey, with two wins against Cazalegas (1-4) and Coria (0-5), when the Basque coach completed 200 games with the team.
“I am sure that the fans are going to eat the grapes proud of their team. We know the rival we have in front of us, but if we match their level of intensity, work and commitment, I will leave happy,” said Sheriff in the previous .
The coach, who could give the first minutes to Mikel Oyarzabal nine and a half months after his serious injury, will not be able to count on Mikel Merino due to suspension, in addition to the injured Martín Merquelanz, Carlos Fernández, Umar Sadiq, Alex Sola, Alex Barrenetxea, Beñat Turrientes and Aihen Muñoz.
The Basques have beaten Osasuna at home 27 times, while the ‘rojillo’ team has only celebrated six wins at the Reale Arena. “Getting Real to reduce can also happen by taking the ball away from them. We are going to a complicated scenario, but we are a good team and we want to show that the league start we made is no coincidence and we want to give it continuity,” said the team’s coach. Navarro, Jagoba Arrasate, before the duel.
The ‘rojillo’ coach will have Nacho Vidal out on the right side, so Rubén Peña would be in charge of occupying that lane. Roberto Torres, who will leave the team, will once again be a substitute, in a midfield with Moi Gómez, Aimar Oroz and Lucas Torró. Kike García and ‘Chimy’ Ávila could be accompanied by Moncayola, to strengthen the ‘rojilla’ creation zone.
Osasuna, eighth, two points behind the European positions, came to a break with the 2-1 defeat against Barcelona at El Sadar, which ended a magnificent series of four league games without losing. In the Cup, they beat Fuentes (1-4) and Arnedo (1-3), confirming their good performance in the first part of the season, although they have not beaten any of the six clubs that started matchday 15 above them. In the table. A victory could put them in Europe, after their best start in the League this decade, with 23 units.
VILLARREAL AND VALENCIA WANT TO GET ENGAGED IN THE EUROPEAN FIGHT
Also at 4:15 p.m., Villarreal and Valencia face each other with the aim of saying goodbye to the year 2022 with a victory and clinging to the cruel battle for the European positions. Only two points separate both teams, with ‘groguets’ and ‘chés’ in the middle of the table, only four and six points, respectively, from the Conference League.
The Castellón team, which has not lost this derby at home since the 2016-2017 season, will also open the new La Cerámica Stadium, already renovated taking advantage of the break, with the aim of recovering the smile that was lost, in a way, with the arrival of Quique Setién to the bench. And it is that, with the Spaniard as coach, the team, built at first for Unai Emery, has only won three of its seven official matches.
“We have greater confidence in the things we propose. We have had good results that are getting closer to what I want. Everyone is encouraged to play this game. It is important for the club, for the fans. The feelings are positive”, he highlighted Setién in the preview of the duel, which they arrive with the two cup victories and their last victory in the League, against Espanyol (0-1) before the World Cup break.
Gennaro Gattuso’s Valencia is in no better situation, with only one win away from home so far in the championship. The fragile defense and the lack of forcefulness in their area condemned a poor Valencian team in the first part of the season in terms of defense. And it is that he has not yet celebrated a clean sheet far from Mestalla.
The Italian coach has all the players available, including internationals and those injured before the break. Diakhaby could replace Paulista in the ‘eleven’, with Guillamón and Nico competing for the starting pivot.
Without cup competition when playing the Spanish Super Cup, Valencia went to the break with a win (3-0) at Mestalla against Betis, although last year they could not with the ‘Yellow Submarine’, against whom they fell 2-0 with a brace from Danjuma.
–SCHEDULE FOR SATURDAY 31ST IN LALIGA SANTANDER.
FC Barcelona – RCD Espanyol. Mateu Lahoz (Valencian City). 14.00.
Royal Society – Osasuna. Pizarro Gómez (C. Madrid). 16.15.
Villarreal – Valencia. Sánchez Martínez (C. Murciano). 16.15.