Gerard Moreno ruled out of Valencia derby | OneFootball

Gerard Moreno has been ruled out of the Valencia derby, Marcelino García Toral confirmed pre-match, according to Superdeporte.

He gave no further detail. It is a fourth game out for the forward, with a muscular issue suspected but not announced. His last start was on 31 January at Osasuna, a 2-2 draw in which he scored twice.

On 9 February he withdrew minutes before facing Espanyol after a warm-up setback, with the club posting the news four minutes before kick-off. He has since missed Espanyol, Getafe and Levante. Villarreal intend to protect him and avoid rushing a return until he is 100 per cent.

Moreno has suffered repeated muscle problems in recent years. Even so, he has seven goals in 14 matches this season. Marcelino is weighing attacking options, including Mikautadze, Ayoze Pérez, Tani Oluwaseyi or Nicolas Pépé.

The coach also hinted Dani Parejo could return, having trained with the group for the first time, with another assessment to follow. New signing Alfon González may be available, with a final decision due tomorrow, and could be called up for the first time.

Elsewhere, Juan Foyth, Kambwala and Logan Costa remain out as they recover from injuries. Moreno's absence is a significant blow for Mestalla.

Source: Superdeporte