Eibar will be hoping to use their February awards as inspiration when they take on nearby Osasuna on Monday.
Eibar boss Jose Luis Mendilibar and striker Sergi Enrich were named La Liga’s Coach and Player of the Month for February respectively, with the Basques having lost just one of their five games.
However – as the trainer explained at his pre-match Press conference – Osasuna’s only League win to date in 2016-17 came against his team.
“They’ve won only one game in the League and it was against us,” he noted.
“We know this and we hope we can have a good start to the game, with a lot of urgency.
Osasuna even beat Eibar 4-0 in a midseason friendly, yet Petar Vasiljevic’s side have not tasted victory in the League since October and lost six in a row, leaving them some 15 points adrift and rooted firmly to the bottom.
“We’ll fight for survival until it’s mathematically no longer possible,” vowed the Coach.
“We still believe it’s possible, although it is true that it’s a question of faith. Two years ago, survival was achieved by Sabadell [in avoiding relegation to Segunda B] and we didn’t think about promotion last season.”
Osasuna will be without five first-teamers but can still call on the likes of Italy goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu, plus goalscorers Roberto Torres and Sergio Leon.
Although not technically a derby, Osasuna are from Pamplona – in the Navarre region, directly east of the Basque Country.
Osasuna (probable): Sirigu; Oier, Vujadinovic, David Garcia, Fuentes; Romero, Loe, Causic, Roberto Torres; Sergio Leon, Kodro
Injuries/suspensions: Berenguer (I), Tano (I), Miguel Flano (I), Javier Flano (I), Digard (I), Fausto (I)
Eibar (probable): Yoel; Capa, Ramis, Lejeune, Arbilla; Escalante, Dani Garcia; Adrian, Pedro Leon, Pena; Enrich
Injuries/suspensions: Nano (I), Fran Rico (I)
Referee: Jaime Latre
Form guide: Osasuna (L L L L L) Eibar (L D W L W)
Previous meeting: Eibar 2-3 Osasuna
Kick-off time: 19:45 GMT/20:45 CET
