Nihat urges Villarreal to raise game

With a promising start to the season having been undermined by the failure to win any of their last four Liga outings, striker Nihat Kahveci has called on his Villarreal CF team-mates to consign that run to history and focus on the "huge game we need to win" away to Valencia CF on Saturday.

Recent record
With ten games of the 2008/09 campaign played Villarreal were just a point behind FC Barcelona in second place, but now find themselves 15 points off the pace in seventh after successive defeats by Sevilla FC, Barça and Real Madrid CF. Still, Manuel Pellegrini will take heart from his team's recent record at the Mestalla where they have picked up two wins and a draw from their last three visits, and from the fact that a derby victory would move Villarreal to within a point of second-placed Valencia.

Six-pointer
"This is a game that for me is worth more than three points; it's worth six," said Nihat, who will not travel after pulling out of the squad on the eve of the game. "They're in second spot and we don't want to lose touch with the teams at the top. We've had some good results there over the last few years but in these types of derby games you never know what can happen. You have to remember that they'll be going into the match in good form while we're not in the same shape at the moment."

'Scoring touch'
Pellegrini has lamented a return of six goals in eight games in all competitions, a factor Nihat – yet to find the net in seven Liga appearances this term – also alluded to in explaining the recent slump. "We're missing chances at the moment; I don't want to say that that's the only reason for these recent results but if we can rediscover our scoring touch it will be easier for us to return to winning ways," said the Turkish international. "We got used to winning after enjoying a great year and we want to get back on track. If you can't improve on the small details that are holding you back it's difficult to go out and get three points."

Senna suspended
Meanwhile, Valencia's David Albelda expressed his excitement at the possibility of a significant distance opening up between the teams should Los Ché emerge triumphant on Saturday: "The game is an important one when you consider the difference it can make to the table. We could leave a direct rival for a Champions League place seven points behind us. I'm only thinking of winning and I'd happily settle for a 1-0." Unuai Emery's team beat Club Atlético de Madrid 3-1 in impressive fashion last weekend and will be looking for a repeat performance against opponents missing their suspended midfield talisman Marcos Senna. "The fact that Senna will miss the game is important, but they remain tricky opponents," added Albelda.