Valencia seek perfect end to remarkable recovery in La Liga

Valencia lost to Arsenal in the Europa League semi-finals but hold pole position for La Liga's last Champions League spot as the race for the top four reaches its climax on Saturday.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's hat-trick ended Valencia's hopes of qualifying by lifting a trophy and their chances looked slim in the league too, when they trailed Getafe by three points ahead of the penultimate weekend.

But a 3-1 win over Alaves, combined with Getafe losing away to a wounded Barcelona, means it is Valencia with their fate in their own hands, as they prepare to face Real Valladolid at Jose Zorrilla.

A superior head-to-head over Getafe means they need only match the result of Jose Bordelas' side, who host a Villarreal team sitting 14th and with little left to play for.

Yet Valladolid's position appears in Valencia's favour too. Victory away at Rayo Vallecano last weekend means their safety is already secured.

Win, and Valencia will be guaranteed Champions League football in consecutive seasons for the first time in seven years, a feat that not too long ago seemed almost unthinkable.

After five games, they were 15th and still to win. After 10, they were 14th, having won once and scored seven goals. After 15 games, they had won three but were back in 15th, ground to a halt by nine draws.

When Marcelino was appointed in 2017, he was the club's 12th coach in five years and only one of them -- Nuno Espirito Santo -- had overseen enough matches to make even one full league season.

Most waited for the trigger to click but Marcelino stayed and after 10 draws in 13 games, they won, coming from behind in the Copa del Rey to beat Segunda B side Ebro, who had a man sent off after 29 minutes.

"There was this click," said striker Kevin Gameiro in an interview with AFP this month.

"And there was also a bit of luck." Defeats by Girona, Juventus and Real Madrid tempered hopes of a recovery but in between came three victories in a row and after, five games unbeaten, including a Champions League win over Manchester United.

- Valencia surge -
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"I was convinced I could do it but I failed."