Villarreal seek victorious return

With the UEFA Cup set to resume after its winter break, uefa.com looks at the form of the 32 clubs involved in first-leg ties this week.

FC Dynamo Kyiv v Villarreal CF

Dynamo have not played a competitive match since they were edged out of a top-two spot by Real Madrid FC and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in a tough UEFA Champions League group. The Ukrainian Premier League began its winter break on 3 December and despite racking up ten wins in eleven games, eleven-time champions Dynamo lie second, a point behind fellow UEFA Cup hopefuls FC Shakhtar Donetsk. With the absence of competitive fixtures, Joszef Szabo's men have spent the first two months of 2005 in training camps in the United Arab Emirates and Portugal, where they were unbeaten in seven matches, including wins against FC Krylya Sovetov Samara and VfL Wolfsburg.

Szabo has also strengthened his squad with the acquisition of the promising Oleh Gerasimyuk from FC Volyn Lutsk and Romanian defender Christian Irimia, although the latter is ineligible to play after appearing for FC Dinamo Bucuresti in Champions League qualifying. Ruslan Bidnenko, Sergei Kornilenko and Ukrainian international Andriy Husin have all departed, however, while Serhiy Federov has a knee injury and will miss both ties against Villarreal. Midfield player Tiberiu Ghioane is facing a race against time to be fit after he was rushed to hospital last week after suffering a suspected minor stroke.

Registered players: Aleksandr Amisulashvili, Oleh Herasyumyuk, Edgaras Cesnauskis, Denys Dedechko.
Players out: Roberto Antonio Nanni, Sergey Kornilenko, Ruslan Bidnenko.

After securing a berth in the last 32 of the UEFA Cup, Villarreal finally transferred some of their European form to the Primera División. Last season's semi-finalists ended 2004 with a comfortable win against Málaga CF before two goals from Antonio Guayre earned the side a draw away at Albacete Balompié. Coach Manuel Luis Pellegrini extended his contract by 12 months during the winter break, while Josico and Javi Venta also committed their futures and they celebrated in style with a 3-0 win against league leaders FC Barcelona.

That victory started a run of five consecutive wins, with Diego Forlán and Juan Román Riquelme featuring prominently by scoring 12 goals between them. After Barça, the side enjoyed wins against regional neighbours Levante UD and Valencia CF before beating Real Sociedad de Fútbol 4-0 in San Sebastian and Real Racing Club Santander 2-1 at El Madrigal. Forlán took his goal tally to 14 in that time to match the club record set by Víctor Fernández. Riquelme could also surpass the feat, but a late penalty on Sunday, his tenth goal of the season, could not salvage a point as Villarreal lost 2-1 to Sevilla FC.

Registered players: Javier Calleja, Juan Sorín, Luciano Gabriel Figueroa.
Players out: Sonny Anderson, José Vicente Bayarri Ribelles, Francisco Nadal.