With so many teams from the same country participating in European competition we are always likely to see two clubs from the same league go head-to-head in the knockout stages. It has happened in the Europa League with Valencia and Villarreal coming up against each other at the quarter-final stage.
Valencia will feel good coming into this second leg as they have brought a 3-1 win with them from the first match at the Estadio de la Cerámica. Villarreal have a mountain climb to progress to the semi-final.
The hosts are in good form and are aiming to finish inside the top four of La Liga and qualify for the Champions League next season. They have won four of their last five games in all competitions and have become very tough to beat, losing just one of their last twenty matches across all competitions.
Home form has been excellent and Valencia have won fourteen and drawn five of their last nineteen home games, which is very impressive. Trends show they have won each of their last seven home Europa League games and are undefeated in their last ten at the Estadio de Mestalla.
Valencia have scored 2 or more goals in five of their last six home Europa League games and have conceded just 3 goals in their last eight.
Villarreal are battling for survival in La Liga this season and recorded a crucial win on the weekend as they defeated Girona 1-0 away from home. That was their first win in five games in all competitions and was enough to see the move 2 points clear of the relegation zone.
Prior to that victory, Villarreal lost at Celta Vigo and Real Betis in La Liga and suffered the defeat to Valencia in the first leg of this Europa League quarter-final.
Trends show Villarreal like the Europa League and they have lost only one of their last eleven matches in the competition. They are undefeated in their last five away Europa League games, with the 3-1 win at Zenit St Petersburg being a good enough result to take this tie into extra-time.
However, that is the only time in their last twenty-one away matches in the Europa League that Villarreal have produced a result which would be good enough to at least force this game into extra-time.
Looking ahead to the team news and Valencia are without Cristiano Piccini who was injured on the weekend and Geoffrey Kondogbia is a doubt. Carlos Soler returns from suspension and is expected to start on the right side of midfield.
Villarreal are without the suspended Alvaro Gonzalez plus the injured trio of Bruno Soriano, Miguelon and Daniele Bonera. Manu Trigueros returned on the bench on the weekend and will hope to play some part in the game.
Valencia must be considered the favourites to win this match. They are in good form, have a great home record and should seal their place in the semi-final with a victory.