Played
February 13, 2013 1:15 AM IST
Estadio de Mestalla — Valencia
Referee: P. Tagliavento
Attendance: 36000
February 13, 2013 1:15 AM IST
Estadio de Mestalla — Valencia
Referee: P. Tagliavento
Attendance: 36000
Valencia-Paris Saint-Germain Preview: Ancelotti's side travel to Spain aiming for first leg advantage
The Champions League returns after the winter break, with the Ligue 1 leaders hoping to make significant progress in a competition they are expected to do well in
By Mohammed Ali
Getty Images
| PROBABLE LINE-UPS |
|
VALENCIA
 Alves Pereira, Rami, R Costa, Guardado Victor Ruiz, T Costa Piatti, Banega, Jonas Soldado |
PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN  Sirigu Jallet, Alex, Sakho, Maxwell Lucas Moura, Matuidi, Verratti, Pastore Lavezzi, Ibrahimovic |
Valencia coach Ernesto Valverde has no significant injury worries ahead of the visit of Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain to the Mestalla on Tuesday evening.
The likes of Joao Pereira, Victor Ruiz and Diego Alves should return to the starting line-up, having been named among the substitutes for the 1-0 win over Celta Vigo at the weekend.
Of the players who featured in Valencia's last meeting with PSG in the Emirates Cup back in 2007 in London, only David Albelda and Mamadou Sakho remain - though the latter is the only one of the pair expected to start.
Sakho's defensive partner Thiago Silva is out, as is namesake Thiago Motta with the pair nursing thigh injuries, though the Brazilian missed out the last couple of games through suspension.
Blaise Matuidi, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Christophe Jallet and Ezequiel Lavezzi were all on the bench in Friday's 3-1 win over Bastia, and all should return to the starting 11.
David Beckham will travel to the Mestalla to watch his new team-mates in action, but has not been included in the squad. His first fixture is likely to be in the Clasico double-header against Olympique de Marseille in two weeks.
| DID YOU KNOW? |
Valencia sit in fifth place in La Liga, two points behind Malaga, but are unbeaten in four games - fixtures which have included Barcelona and Real Madrid.
- Should the hosts pick up victory on Tuesday, it will be their 50th in the European Cup/Champions League.
- Los Che have not lost in 17 games out of 18 to Ligue 1 opposition, having beaten PSG's compatriots Lille in the group stage.
- Valencia have not lost a Champions League home game since September 2010 (1-0 v Man Utd) - a run of nine fixtures.
- Paris Saint-Germain sit top of Ligue 1, six points clear of Olympique Lyonnais.
- The Parisien club have conceded just one goal on the road in Europe this season, in a 1-0 reverse to FC Porto.
- PSG's record in Spain reads W3 D1 L3. They lost their last fixture in Spain to Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League.
- PSG have not been this far (with the exception of a second group stage appearance in 2001) since 1994-95 - the year they were also last champions of France.
Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
-
Valencia 1-2 Paris Saint-Germain
- 16.52 %
-
Valencia 2-1 Paris Saint-Germain
- 12.81 %
-
Valencia 1-1 Paris Saint-Germain
- 10.21 %
| UEFA Champions League (UCL) | 07-Mar-2013 | Paris Saint-Germain 1 - Valencia 1 |
|
| UEFA Champions League (UCL) | 13-Feb-2013 | Valencia 1 - Paris Saint-Germain 2 |
|
Valencia
   |
||
| 02-Jun-2013 | Sevilla 4 - Valencia 3 | LIGA |
| 26-May-2013 | Valencia 1 - Ciudad de Murcia 0 | LIGA |
| 18-May-2013 | Getafe 0 - Valencia 1 | LIGA |
| 12-May-2013 | Rayo Vallecano 0 - Valencia 4 | LIGA |
| 04-May-2013 | Valencia 4 - Osasuna 0 | LIGA |
Paris Saint-Germain
 |
||
| 27-May-2013 | FC Lorient 1 - Paris Saint-Germain 3 | FRA1 |
| 19-May-2013 | Paris Saint-Germain 3 - Stade Brestois 29 1 | FRA1 |
| 13-May-2013 | O. Lyon 0 - Paris Saint-Germain 1 | FRA1 |
| 06-May-2013 | Paris Saint-Germain 1 - Valenciennes FC 1 | FRA1 |
| 29-Apr-2013 | Evian Thonon Gaillard 0 - Paris Saint-Germain 1 | FRA1 |
| 13 | Guaita | Goalkeeper |
| 4 | Adil Rami | Defender |
| 47 | João Pereira | Defender |
| 20 | Ricardo Costa | Defender |
| 8 | Sofiane Feghouli | Midfielder |
| 10 | Ever Banega | Midfielder |
| 18 | Jose Andrés Guardado | Midfielder |
| 21 | Parejo | Midfielder |
| 24 | Tino Costa | Midfielder |
| 7 | Jonas | Striker |
| 9 | Roberto Soldado | Striker |
| 1 | Diego Alves | Goalkeeper |
| 18 | Víctor Ruiz | Defender |
| 6 | Albelda | Midfielder |
| - | Jonathan Viera | Midfielder |
| 16 | Canales | Midfielder |
| 14 | Pablo Piatti | Striker |
| 18 | Haedo Valdéz | Striker |
| 30 | Salvatore Sirigu | Goalkeeper |
| 3 | Mamadou Sakho | Defender |
| 33 | Alex | Defender |
| 17 | Maxwell | Defender |
| 26 | Christophe Jallet | Defender |
| 14 | Blaise Matuidi | Midfielder |
| 24 | Marco Verratti | Midfielder |
| 27 | Javier Pastore | Midfielder |
| - | Lucas | Midfielder |
| 21 | Ezequiel Lavezzi | Striker |
| 18 | Zlatan Ibrahimovic | Striker |
| 1 | Nicolas Douchez | Goalkeeper |
| 6 | Zoumana Camara | Defender |
| 22 | Sylvain Armand | Defender |
| 2 | Gregory van der Wiel | Defender |
| 20 | Clément Chantôme | Midfielder |
| 7 | Jérémy Menez | Midfielder |
| 19 | Kevin Gameiro | Striker |
Results
Times In IST
Live
Final
scheduled
Suspended
Cancelled
Postponed
Match News
Top Scorers
| Player | Goals | Penalties | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Cristiano Ronaldo Striker Real Madrid |
12 | 0 |
|
Robert Lewandowski Striker Borussia Dortmund |
10 | 1 |
|
Thomas Müller Striker FC Bayern München |
8 | 1 |
|
Lionel Messi Striker Barcelona |
8 | 0 |
|
Burak Yılmaz Striker Galatasaray |
8 | 0 |