Football Previews
Nuno wants Valencia to take the game to Rayo Vallecano on Thursday night with every point precious in their bid for a Champions League return. Los Che are back in the Primera Division top four courtesy of Monday’s 4-0 demolition of relegation-threatened Granada, although they will begin the game at Vallecas in fifth should Sevilla win at Eibar on Wednesday. Valencia and Rayo are no strangers having met three times already this season, with the two sides playing out a 4-4 thriller the last time they met in the Copa del Rey back in December. “It serves as a reference point for us as we have faced them several times,” boss Nuno told a press conference. “We all know how they set out their play and plan their games. “We believe that we do what we do well, and that we take firm and decisive steps to stay that way. Our idea is clear: we play every game to win.” Valencia have not featured in the Champions League since losing 3-2 to Paris St Germain in the last 16 in March 2013, and they have gone without European football completely this season. But they have already secured at least a Europa League place in their first campaign under Nuno, and he believes there is more improvement to come from his side. “The team continues to grow; the players are improving game by game,” he added. “We can grow, improve and rectify mistakes. I would not define it as the best moment for us, but rather one of complete conviction.” Pablo Piatti is set to return to the Valencia squad after a three-week absence with a hamstring injury, while Enzo Perez could start having come off the bench last time out on his comeback from a similar problem. Rayo sit 11th in the table on the back of three defeats in four and only basement side Cordoba have lost more games than the Madrid club, but winger Adrian Embarba is not giving up hope of securing a European place. “We will try to win the remaining games and hopefully get to that seventh place to play in the Europa League,” he told Spanish media. “To us, (head coach) Paco conveys that we must work day to day as before. We must only think of the remaining games and then see what happens next season. “It will be a tough game against Valencia. They are a very good team but we are strong at home and want the three points.”
#
Team
MP
W
D
L
F
A
G
P
1
Real Madrid
33
26
6
1
71
22
+49
84
2
Barcelona
33
22
7
4
68
39
+29
73
3
Girona
33
22
5
6
69
40
+29
71
4
Atlético de Madrid
33
20
4
9
62
39
+23
64
5
Athletic Bilbao
33
16
10
7
53
33
+20
58
6
Real Sociedad
33
13
12
8
46
35
+11
51
7
Real Betis
33
12
13
8
41
39
+2
49
8
Valencia
33
13
8
12
37
38
-1
47
9
Villarreal
33
12
9
12
54
55
-1
45
10
Getafe
33
10
13
10
41
45
-4
43
11
Osasuna
33
11
6
16
37
49
-12
39
12
Alaves
33
10
8
15
31
38
-7
38
13
Sevilla
33
9
11
13
42
46
-4
38
14
Las Palmas
33
10
7
16
30
41
-11
37
15
Rayo Vallecano
33
7
13
13
27
42
-15
34
16
Mallorca
33
6
14
13
27
39
-12
32
17
Celta Vigo
33
7
10
16
37
50
-13
31
18
Cadiz
33
4
14
15
23
46
-23
26
19
Granada
33
4
9
20
36
61
-25
21
20
Almeria
33
1
11
21
32
67
-35
14
Please Gamble Responsibly