Previews
SUN 17.05.2015
Elche CF play their last home game of the season on matchday 37 of the Liga BBVA. Sitting in 13th position with 40 points on the board, the Alicante side will be looking to put on a show for their supporters in what will be there their last outing at home this season. Meanwhile, sitting in eighth place with nine more points, Athletic Club travel to the Martínez Valero with the goal of securing a win that would move them to seventh.
Team news
Xabier Etxeita, Ibai Gómez, Andoni Iraola and Iker Muniain are all sidelined for the Basques and will not be able to travel with the rest of the squad. Elche, meanwhile, will be without the injured David Lombán and José Ángel Alonso.
Views from the dugouts
"Although the points are not that important, the motivation to win is as great as ever", stated Fran Escribá, the Elche boss. The Valencian coach also emphasised the importance of the club’s fans: "We'd like to give our supporters another win to celebrate because they have played a crucial role in getting us out of the relegation zone and we want them to enjoy this match".
His counterpart in the other dugout, Ernesto Valverde, stressed how strong Elche are at home: "They've been excellent. They're ensured safety by some distance and that causes me to be cautious". Additionally, well aware of the implications of the simultaneous kick off time for the whole division, Valverde also stated: "I'm not worried about Villarreal. I'm only concerned about us winning in order that we can stay in the fight for seventh place, which has been our goal all season".
© LALIGA - 2015