Villarreal 3 - 2 Alavés

Villarreal v Alavés: Preview

Updated: March 3, 2006, 2:37 PM UK

VILLARREAL, March 3 (Primera Liga) - Diego Forlan insists Villarreal will put thoughts of their Champions League tie with Rangers to one side in order to fully focus on the weekend's meeting with Alaves.

The Castellon side have struggled in the Primera Liga since Christmas, winning only twice.

Last weekend was an all too typical example of their lacklustre form as they were held to a draw by relegation-threatened Athletic Bilbao, only managing to avoid a defeat when Aritz Aduriz missed a last-minute penalty for the Basque side.

Uruguay international Forlan was a key man in Villarreal's successes last season as his goals fired the club into the Champions League, earning him the joint Golden Boot award along with Arsenal's Thierry Henry.

However, he has struggled to match that form this season after struggling with niggling injuries early in the season before playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme was consigned to the treatment room, closing off a key channel of supply for Forlan.

But after returning from international duty - which saw him in action against England at Anfield in midweek - Forlan has declared himself fit and ready to get Villarreal's league campaign back on track.

"I am feeling fine and I am happy with the game for Uruguay,'' he said. "Now, though, the most important thing is to concentrate on Saturday.

"Nobody must think that we are not determined and are being distracted by the Champions League. This is not the case as we are only thinking about Alaves.

"Alaves will be a tough side to play against and they have improved their play a lot since the start of the season. They have dangerous players but I have confidence in our team and I believe the team is doing well.

"We are progressing and hopefully this will continue. I am now starting to score again and I will be looking to get my fourth goal in four matches.''

Riquelme will still be sidelined for several more weeks with a back problem, although the club's medical staff have confirmed he will not need an operation.

Coach Manuel Pellegrini could also be without Juan Pablo Sorin, who came back from international duty with Argentina carrying a calf strain.

Alaves go into the game beset with off-the-pitch problems as fans protest against the management of hands-on club president Dmitry Piterman, with the team continuing to fight relegation.

Piterman has been criticised for sacking head coach Juan Carlos Oliva following a bust-up over the recent match at Real Madrid, where the president got his way over team tactics with disastrous results.

The side lie in 18th place but level on points with Athletic Bilbao, and goalkeeper Franco Costanzo believes his team's survival is in their own hands.

"It is all down to us and we are doing well at the moment although we are still inconsistent in that some games we are not doing so well in,'' he said.

"We are only here to play football and to improve the situation of Alaves in the league, we are not thinking about anything else. I am looking forward to the game against Villarreal but it will be difficult.''