Villarreal will look to keep their lingering hopes of Champions League qualification alive when they travel to Estadi Municipal de Montilivi to face Girona on Saturday.
The hosts have been a surprise package in La Liga this term, and the seventh-placed side have European aspirations of their own.
Match preview
© Reuters
After winning promotion via the Segunda division playoffs last season, Girona's main priority for their first top-flight campaign since 2018-19 would have been to secure their La Liga status for another season.
However, those relegation fears are long gone, with Girona now dreaming of qualifying for European competition, especially as they were recently granted a UEFA license for next term despite being linked to Manchester City due to the City Football Group's 47% stake in the La Liga club.
The paperwork may be in place for Girona to grace the European landscape, but a place in the Europa Conference League is far from secure, with a number of teams currently in hot pursuit.
Girona have certainly peaked at the right moment of the season, having lost just one of their previous nine games, while they are unbeaten in four matches after they came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Real Sociedad last time out.
Michel will be fully aware that the visit of Villarreal will present his side with a stiff test, but home advantage could make all the difference, with the hosts holding the fifth-best home record in the top flight after picking up 33 points from their 17 league games at the Estadi Municipal de Montilivi this season.
© Reuters
Like their hosts, Villarreal are also unbeaten in four matches (W3, D1) after they continued their impressive run of form with a commanding 5-1 win over Athletic Bilbao last weekend.
An Aitor Paredes own goal and braces for both Alex Baena and Nicolas Jackson secured the Yellow Submarine a third consecutive home victory, ensuring that they head into the final four matches in fifth place.
Villarreal look set to finish in the top six and qualify for the Europa League, but they will still be harbouring hopes of making a late dash for the Champions League places with five points separating them from fourth-placed Real Sociedad.
If they are to have a realistic chance of bridging that considerable gap at this late stage of the season then Villarreal may have to claim maximum points from their final four matches against Girona, Cadiz, Rayo Vallecano and Atletico Madrid.
Having won both of their previous La Liga away matches against Girona, the Yellow Submarine have the chance to win their first three top-flight away matches against the same opponent for the second time in their history, after previously achieving the feat against Levante.
Team News
© Reuters
The hosts are expected to be without the services of Aleix Garcia, Toni Villa, Borja Garcia and Yangel Herrera due to injury issues.
Taty Castellanos, who has scored seven goals in his last four appearances, is unlikely to feature after missing the draw with Real Sociedad through injury.
Girona will also have to cope without the services of one of their key players, Oriol Romeu, who will serve a one-match suspension after being sent off for two bookable offences last weekend.
As for the visitors, Francis Coquelin and Jose Luis Morales will miss out through injury, while Kiko Femenia is a doubt.
Pau Torres and Dani Parejo are both suspended for an accumulation of yellow cards, which could present Jorge Cuenca and Giovani Lo Celso with starting opportunities.
Having scored six goals in his last four appearances, Jackson will be looking to continue his impressive run of form.
Girona possible starting lineup:
Gazzaniga; Martinez, Bueno, Juanpe, Hernandez; Couto, Tsygankov, Lopez, Martin, Riquelme; Stuani
Villarreal possible starting lineup:
Reina; Foyth, Mandi, Cuenca, Pedraza; Baena, Capoue, Lo Celso; Chukwueze, Pino, Jackson
We say: Girona 2-2 Villarreal
Villarreal may have won their previous two away La Liga games against Girona, but they will be presented with a stiff test on Saturday, and with the hosts bursting with confidence, we think that they will hold the Yellow Submarine to a draw.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
