Girona look to get back on track

Girona FC – D. Alavés
Girona FC are looking to end the year with a win after three matches without. Pablo Machín, the Catalan outfit's manager, will be without Bigas, Ramalho and Juncà for the match. Alberto López, the Alavés manager, spoke about the difficulty of the game: "They are proving to be a quality team at home, although we have also seen that any team can beat any other".

SD Ponferradina – RCD Mallorca
“Peace of mind and a cool head". For Manolo Díaz these are the keys to victory against Mallorca. The Balearic team will be looking to return to their best, having returned zero points from the last possible nine.

Matchday 18 kicks off with a two clashes between direct rivals: Tenerife-Sabadell and Numancia-Lugo

CD Mirandés – R. Zaragoza
Two teams who are firing on all cylinders square off in the Municipal de Anduva stadium. On the one hand, Mirandés, who have picked up points in their last six games (four of them with a win) and, on the other, Ranko Popović's new Zaragoza, who highlighted the form of his players: "We improve things every week and that means that we are on the right track"

CD Tenerife – CE Sabadell
Four points separate Tenerife from Sabadell, two teams that would move away from the bottom end of the table with a win and start 2015 in a more comfortable position. Álvaro Cervera, the island team's coach, spoke of his opponent's form: "You get the feeling that the team is going through a transition. They have a good concept, with possession of the ball and a lot of pace up front. I'm sure they can create problems, above all away from home".

CD Numancia – CD Lugo
It will be a tight battle between Numancia and Lugo, the side from Soria have 23 points to the Galicians' 21. Lugo have Dani Mallo after two months on the sidelines, but they will have to make do without Luis Fernández and David de Coz. The most significant absentee for Numancia is Antonio Tomás.