Match preview: #MálagaVillarrealB

The Blue and Whites, with three points and in 21^st place in the standings, face the Villarreal reserve team in 7^th place with 10 points.

The match between the Malaguistas and Villarrealenses will be officiated by Víctor García Verdura. The 27-year-old referee from Catalonia is beginning his second season in the silver division, and has accumulated 24 matches ending in 12 local wins, nine draws and three away victories (99 yellow cards – 4,13 on average – and three red cards). Heading up the VAR is Eduardo Prieto Iglesias from Navarra.

Players in common Málaga CF-Villarreal B

Kiko Olivas, Pere Martí, Jordi Pablo, Dani Toribio, Edu Ramos, Cazorla, Javi Jiménez, Fran Sol, Pau Torres and Ontiveros

Coaches in common Málaga CF-Villarreal B

Javi Gracia

(*) Javi Calleja, who played 107 official matches (six goals) with Málaga CF between 2006 and 2009, coached Villarreal B (2017/18)

Match info

• Pepe Mel will be in the Blue and White dugout for the first time. The Madrid-born coach is Málaga CF’s 29^th manager since 1994. Curiously, the last time Mel visited La Rosaleda as coach was last season, in the last home win for Málaga CF (2-1) against UD Las Palmas.
• Unai Bustinza is suspended from this match due to his expulsion from the last match in Tenerife.
• Manolo Reina is the only member of the team who has played all minutes (540) of the LaLiga SmartBank games up to now. Substitute goalkeeper, Yáñez, is the only one of the 13 summer signings who has not yet made his official debut as a Malaguista.
• Málaga CF will be seeking their first home win of the season, after losing to UD Las Palmas on matchday 2 and against Albacete Balompié on matchday 4.
• Away from home, Villarreal B, have accumulated one win and two defeats up to now in the competition. Three points from three matches, with three goals scored and seven conceded.

Stats and facts

• This is an unprecedented match between Málaga CF and Villarreal CF ‘B’.
• In the past seven seasons in the Second Division, on matchday 7, MCF obtained four wins, two draws and one defeat.