Valencia vs Elche preview - Valencia set sights on second place

Posted Friday, October 24, 2014 by PA

With all the focus on the El Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid this weekend, Valencia could sneak into second in the Primera Division with a win at home to struggling Elche on Saturday.

Nuno Espirito Santo's side have enjoyed an excellent start to the campaign and currently sit fourth in the table, a point behind Madrid and five back on league leaders Barca.

A title challenge may be out of reach but Valencia made clear their top-four credentials with a 3-1 victory over reigning champions Atletico Madrid earlier this month.

That impressive win was tempered by a 3-0 loss at Deportivo last time out - their only defeat of the season so far - and the Oranges will be looking to get back to winning ways against an Elche side sitting 18th in the table.

Former Manchester City striker Alvaro Negredo is included in the squad and could feature for the first time since joining the club after he recovered from a broken metatarsal.

Elche are without a victory in five matches but will take heart from a gutsy display against second-placed Sevilla on Sunday, despite losing the game 2-0.

One Valencia player who is particularly familiar with his team's opponents is Carles Gil, who made 52 league starts for Elche and helped the team secure promotion to the top flight in 2013.

"I have a lot of affection for Elche and it is going to be a special game, in which I will try to give my all to take victory with the team," Gil told Valencia's official club website.

"They haven't had a good start to the season, but the same thing happened last season and they managed to turn things around. If we don't have a good game, then I'm sure they will make things difficult."

Gil, who has made one start and four appearances off the bench this season, added: "The aim is to get into the Champions League.

"We don't like to talk about what is going to happen at the end of the season, we prefer to take things game-by-game."