Preview: Valencia vs. Eibar - prediction, team news, lineups

Jose Luis Mendilibar's galvanised Eibar side travel to the Mediterranean coast this weekend for their hugely important La Liga clash with Valencia.

The stakes have never been higher for Eibar, who will be relegated if they lose this tie and Huesca manage to draw or win their game against Real Betis.

Match preview

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Before May, there was a sense of mayhem around Eibar, with the club hierarchy keeping their faith in Mendilibar despite a lengthy run of poor results and the team rooted to the foot of the table.

However, with seven points from their last three league outings, a run which includes back-to-back wins against Alaves and Getafe, Eibar are suddenly back in the fight and look just as likely as any team around them of retaining their top-flight credentials.

Yet, the stakes are high and there is a strong chance that Los Armeros have left it too late, with relegation rivals in a better position.

Against Real Betis last time out, Eibar only just managed to come away with a point, with Sergi Enrich bagging an equaliser late on.

Beating Valencia in the unpredictable form they have been in all season is not an easy task, but Eibar have everything to play for as they come into this game and the players will certainly be fired up for this one.

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With Javi Gracia gone and Valencia officially safe from relegation, the inquest is already underway into what went wrong this season.

In what has been a disastrous campaign for Los Che, it may take a few months for the Valencia faithful to realise just how much the club flirted with relegation this season.

Currently 14th in the standings, with just 39 points to their name, only eight points separate Valencia from the drop zone, and if it was not for last-minute heroics a number of times this season, Los Che may well have found themselves in trouble.

Against Julen Lopetegui's high-flying Sevilla last time out, Valencia were beaten 1-0 due to a goal from Youssef En-Nesyri.

Team News

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In a bid to quell Sevilla's superior attacking qualities, Los Che opted for a highly defensive formation last time out and a number of key players dropped to the bench.

For this tie, skipper Jose Gaya, Kevin Gameiro and Denis Cheryshev could all return to the starting lineup.

It is unlikely that Mendilibar will tinker too much with his side, with no reason to change a winning formula.

Mendilibar will be without midfielder Alejandro Pozo for this tie due to a hamstring injury.

Valencia possible starting lineup:
Cillessen; Correia, Gabriel, Guillamon, Gaya; Cheryshev, Soler, Racic, Guedes; Gomez, Gameiro

Eibar possible starting lineup:
Dmitrovic; Rober, Oliveira, Arbilla, Angel; Gil, Atienza, Diop, Exposito; Enrich, Kike

We say: Valencia 0-1 Eibar

Okay, hear us out. Eibar's great escape sounds a bit too mental to really be taken seriously, but football is mental and sometimes ordinary players do extraordinary things. We think Eibar will win this one, thus making the last day of the season very interesting.

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