Villarreal coach Juan Carlos Garrido has warned his players that "every point is vital".

The Yellow Submarine are looking to salvage what has been a hugely disappointing campaign so far with a European berth.

Having seen their Copa del Rey and Europa League challenges long since ended, Villarreal only have the league to concentrate on but they are still playing catch-up following a miserable start to the season.

Despite having picked up 10 points from a possible 15 in their last five games, the 2008 Primera Division runners-up are still down in ninth place in the standings.

There was some good news for them last weekend though as, while they were beating bottom club Xerez 2-0, five of the six clubs immediately above them were dropping points.

That means Villarreal were just six points points off sixth-placed Deportivo La Coruna heading into this weekend's fixtures, and eight off the Champions League spots.

The dream of bringing European football back to El Madrigal is still alive, but Garrido knows they can ill afford anymore slip-ups.

He said ahead of tomorrow's trip to free-falling Malaga: "In our situation every point is vital. If we want to be in Europe we have to try and win every game and treat them as proper finals.

"Every game we have to cut the gap to the teams above and we are going to give everything to achieve it."

If Villarreal want to finish in the top six though, they will have to improve on a poor away record that has seen them pick up just five points from 12 games on their travels.

Their sole victory came against Atletico Madrid back in December when Joseba Llorente struck an injury-time winner in a 2-1 triumph.

"The statistics say we haven't picked up good results away from home, but for us the three points against Malaga are vital because we have to get closer to the teams above," added Garrido, who replaced Ernesto Valverde as coach seven weeks ago.

"It doesn't matter if we are playing at El Madrigal or away from home, because the games are of equal importance."

Garrido received a boost yesterday when Spain international Santi Cazorla was given the green light to return to action having recovered from the back surgery he underwent at the start of February.

It remains to be seen when the Euro 2008 winner is drafted back into the team, but he will be a welcome addition over the final months of the season.

Malaga had looked a side on the up after losing just once in 14 games to climb out of the relegation zone, but that good work is now in danger of being undone.

In their last three matches Juan Ramon Lopez Muniz's men have lost to Barcelona, Xerez and Almeria, and now they are just four points above the bottom three.

Influential playmaker Duda, who missed the defeat to Almeria through suspension, said: "After completing my ban I hope to return to the team and help them pick up three points.

"Villarreal are not having the same success as in recent years, but they have very good players. We have to be at 100%."