Racing de Santander vs Villarreal preview - Yellow Submarine ready for Racing trip - 7M sport

Racing de Santander vs Villarreal preview - Yellow Submarine ready for Racing trip



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Posted Sunday, February 27, 2011 by PA

With morale boosted by their successful Europa League fightback in midweek, Villarreal will now look to get their Primera Division campaign back on track when they travel to improving Racing Santander.

Villarreal went into Thursday's last-32 second leg at home to Napoli without a win in four games - a run that included La Liga defeats to lowly Levante and Deportivo La Coruna, plus a 1-1 home draw with rock-bottom Malaga.

The Yellow Submarine then looked set for more disappointment when they fell behind after just 17 minutes to Napoli, leaving Juan Carlos Garrido's side needing at least two goals to avoid tumbling out of the competition.

Villarreal turned things around, though, thanks to goals just before the break from strike duo Nilmar and Giuseppe Rossi, booking their place in the last-16 and leaving them as the only Spanish club left in the competition.

Now, Villarreal will be hoping to build on that triumph when they take on Racing, having slipped two points behind third-placed Valencia following their poor recent run.

Coach Garrido said: "We needed a game like that so the fans could identify fully with the team. The club needs many fans to support the team to the death. It was a very nice night where we took a big step in our season."

Midfielder Borja Valero hopes the effort his side had to put in to overcome the Italians will not affect them tomorrow, saying: "Hopefully it won't be noticed against Racing and that we achieve a league victory that we really need."

It is unlikely to be easy for Villarreal this weekend though, as opponents Racing have won both of their matches under new coach Marcelino Garcia Toral and are unbeaten in four games since new owner Ahsan Ali Syed took control.

Racing are now five points clear of the drop zone following last weekend's 1-0 away win over Getafe.

Marcelino said: "The self-belief of the players grows day by day because we are on a positive run with two successive wins, we`ve shown we are a solid team and I honestly think that we have a good chance of beating Villarreal."



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