Valencia CF vs Villarreal CF — 17 January 2010

La Liga · Primera División 2009–10 · 17 January 2010

Match Context

The January 2010 derby between Valencia and Villarreal came midway through the 2009–10 La Liga campaign. Both clubs from the Valencian Community were chasing European qualification places, with Valencia featuring David Silva and David Villa in their attacking lineup and Villarreal building around Giuseppe Rossi, Robert Pirès, and the veteran Marcos Senna.

Unai Emery was in charge of Valencia, while Villarreal had appointed Ernesto Valverde for the season. The derby carried added significance given both clubs' proximity geographically — fewer than seventy kilometres separates Mestalla from El Madrigal.

Fixture History

The Valencia–Villarreal Valencian derby has been a regular fixture in La Liga since Villarreal's promotion to the top flight in 1998. The two clubs, separated by 68 kilometres on the coast between Valencia and Castellón, contest one of Spanish football's most regionally defined rivalries. In the 2009–10 season both sides met twice in the league, with the January encounter at Mestalla one of two Valencian Community derbies that campaign.

2009–10 Season Outcome

Valencia finished third in La Liga that season, qualifying for the UEFA Champions League. Villarreal placed seventh and entered the Europa League the following year. The 2009–10 campaign is also notable as Barcelona's record-setting La Liga title under Pep Guardiola, who guided the club to 99 points.

Related: La Liga archive · Teams