A crucial match with qualification and survival on the line

Villarreal CF and Valencia CF are preparing to take each other on in LALIGA EA SPORTS Matchday 24 in a crucial game at the Estadio de La Cerámica, with kick-off coming up at 21:00 CET on Saturday February 15th. It really should be a fascinating Valencian Saint Valentine’s Day, but there’ll be no love lost between these two regional neighbours in what is a hugely important game in their respective quests for European qualification and survival. This Valencian Community Derby could prove to be a vitally important one, for whoever collects three points and for whoever collects none. 

Coming into this matchday, El Submarino Amarillo sit fifth in the table and they’ve achieved three wins and one draw from their past four league matches. The only game from the past four where they dropped points was away at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, which isn’t an easy place to go and Villarreal CF became just the third side to take points off Atlético de Madrid on the road, after RCD Espanyol and Real Madrid also drew there. As for Los Amarillos’ victories, they overcame RCD Mallorca, Real Valladolid and UD Las Palmas, scoring a lot of goals along the way to climb up the table. They’re now just four points back from fourth-placed Athletic Club and 10 behind leaders Real Madrid. 

Meanwhile, Valencia CF sit inside the relegation zone, however they’ve been in better form of late. Apart from their losses to FC Barcelona in LALIGA EA SPORTS and the Copy del Rey, they’ve been achieving positive results under new coach Carlos Corberán. Since he arrived in the dugout, Valencia CF have taken 10 points out of 18, with six of those points they lost being in games against Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, while the other league fixture they failed to win was a draw against Sevilla FC at the Estadio Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán.

Eight years since Valencia CF won a LALIGA EA SPORTS game at Villarreal CF

Not since January 21st 2017 have Valencia CF fans been able to celebrate a win away at Villarreal CF in LALIGA EA SPORTS. They did meet in 2019 in the Europa League, and Los Che won 3-1 away in that European tie, but they’ve gone eight years without a league win in Castellón. In fact, Valencia CF have lost on each of their past five visits. 

Looking at their past five meetings, home or away, Valencia CF have won just once, a 3-1 victory last term at Mestalla. The other four games in this run have been two Villarreal CF wins and two draws, as was the case when they played out a 1-1 scoreline in the first game between these sides of the 2024/25 LALIGA EA SPORTS season. This weekend, Valencia CF will aim to change the dynamic of this rivalry, aware that three points could pull them out of the relegation zone by the end of the matchday.

A special game for Marcelino and Dani Parejo

Marcelino García Toral and Dani Parejo will have extra reason to look forward to this game against Valencia CF, one of their former clubs. It was there that both the coach and the midfielder enjoyed some of the greatest moments of their careers, winning a Copa del Rey together and playing in the UEFA Champions League. Now, they’re both in Castellón, and have enjoyed successes there too.

Others, such as Raúl Albiol, have a special connection to Valencia CF too. The centre-back is one of the captains at El Submarino Amarillo, although he hasn’t been playing much of late due to the impressive performances of his defensive colleagues. It really should be a fascinating Valencian Community Derby, as both teams aim to take all three points to continue pursuing their objectives.