Another superb weekend of La Liga football is rounded of on Monday night when this season’s surprise strugglers, Villareal, travel to La Rosaleda to face big-spending Malaga (Malaga 4/6, draw 11/4, Villareal 4/1).
Both sides went into the season with high hopes but have regularly disappointed and will be looking at this match as a chance to find some inspiration for the rest of the season.
After being taken over by rich backers earlier in the year, Malaga have seen themselves transformed from relegation candidates to Champions League hopefuls but despite heavy investment have struggled to impose themselves on the division this season.
However, they’re currently on a good run of form having not lost in their last three and coach Manuel Pellegrini will be hoping for a big performance on Monday.
Key to this will undoubtedly be playmaker Santi Cazorla (13/8 to score anytime) who faces his old club for the time since his move in the summer.
The Spanish international was courted by a number of Europe’s top sides before moving to Andalucia and has been ‘Los Boquerrones’ stand out payer so far this campaign and has often carried the team on his own.
He’ll be expected to be the man to ignite the talented Malaga attack so keep an eye on him as he often has a say on the outcome of his side’s matches.
Cazorla’s partner in crime is often Venezuelan striker Solomon Rondon (11/8 to score anytime), who is likely to be the man charged with leading the line.
Rondon appears to have significantly improved this season but has been rather goal-shy this term and has only netted once in the league.
Villareal have a notoriously leaky defence, though, and Rondon will be looking to take advantage of any slip-ups. The ‘Yellow Submarine’ have had a torrid time of it this year and have only won one of their 12 games this season. This has been mainly down to the absence of star strikers Giuseppe Rossi and Nilmar and their lack of goals is slowly becoming a major worry.
Their injury list currently contains a number of their stars but boss Juan Carlos Garrido can welcome back Argentine defender Gonzalo Rodriguez for the match and he will be looking to him to make a major difference to his struggling backline.
Rodriguez has all the attributes needed to be a top quality central defender and on his day can be world class. Garrido will be hoping he can bounce straight back into form in Andalucia.
Another player to look out for is former West Brom midfielder Borja Valero (10/3 to score at anytime). In the absence of the likes of Rossi and Cani, much of the Castellon side’s creativity now comes through him and, with all the injuries, he is now one of the side’s senior players.
Valero is the type of player who can make something out of nothing and will be hoping to put his stamp on the game.
However, with all Villareal’s problems, its hard not to look past a Malaga win and with the players at their disposal should come out comfortable victors.
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