UEFA Cup Preview: Valencia - Maritimo

What: UEFA Cup Round 1, 2nd leg
Who: Valencia (1) v Maritimo (0)
When: Thursday, October 2nd (22:00 CET)
Where: Mestalla, Valencia, Eastern Spain

Oct 1, 2008 6:46:35 PM

The saviours: Juan Mata and David Villa of Valencia, who between them, have been responsible for more or less all of Valencia's goals. How long can they keep it up?

Teams

After making everyone in Spain stand up and take note of Emery’s Mestalla revolution on the weekend, when Los Che delivered a performance to savour against Deportivo, the 2004 UEFA Cup winners must finish the job against Maritimo to take another crack at the title.

Valencia have firmly consigned last season to the scrap heap with three consecutive wins in La Liga, securing joint top spot and smiles all around in Spain’s third biggest city.

The hat-trick of victories since Los Che’s hard fought win in Funchal has left Unai Emery’s men brimming with confidence. There are expectations abound that this once dejected squad can now go for all the top prizes open to them this season.

Some have pointed to an over reliance on David Villa for goals, while though Juanma Mata’s rise to stardom has been a major boon, Valencia need to share the load in the creativity stakes as well. Nevertheless, the most pleasing aspect of the 4-2 win over Depor was the fact it was a real team performance. The only real headache for Emery concerns the potential overworking of some players, and risk of further injuries.

Emery could well rest the free-scoring El Guaje for this one (as he did in the first leg, but brought him on later where he picked up an injury), what with the side playing with such confidence and taking a single away goal advantage into this contest.

The match could be a chance for some of Valencia's returning and less used players to show their quality, and allow the coach to wrap the likes of Villa in cotton wool. Still, the former Almeria coach will not want to take too many risks given the slender advantage, while Maritimo played well in the first leg and were unfortunate not to find the net in Portugal.

The visitors’ form has improved since the first encounter. Maritimo began the season poorly but got their first win and goals of the season on Sunday against Academica Coimbra.

The Madeira based outfit have taken four points from the last two matches, leaving them in a more respectable 11th in the BWIN Liga.

FORM GUIDE

Valencia

WON 4-2 (H) Deportivo (28 Sept - La Liga)
WON 2-0 (A) Malaga (25 Sept - La Liga)
WON 1-0 (H) Osasuna (21 Sept - La Liga)
WON 1-0 (A) Maritimo (18 Sept – UEFA Cup Round 1, 1st leg)
DREW 2-2 (A) Almeria (14 Sept – La Liga)

Maritimo

WON 2-0 (H) Academica Coimbra (28 Sept - BWIN Liga)
DREW 0-0 (A) Estrela Amadora (21 Sept - BWIN Liga
LOST 1-0 (H) Valencia (18 Sept - UEFA Cup Round 1, 1st leg)
LOST 1-0 (H) Guimaraes (1 Sept - BWIN Liga)
LOST 1-0 (A) Naval Maio (24 Aug - BWIN Liga)

TEAM NEWS

Valencia

Expect changes in defence, where Helguera and Del Horno should get a start. Marchena should return to action for Valencia sometime this week, and might sneak a spot on the bench. Miguel could certainly do with a break, but there’s shortage of options at right back, with Curro Torres still out injured.

Joaquin and Albelda could be rested, though Edu picked up a slight knock against Depor while Baraja remains unavailable to Emery. Vicente made the squad on Sunday and could see some action after recovering from injury.

Calling upon Villa to start his third game in a week will likely prove a risk Emery is unwilling to take so Morientes, or even Zigic, should be utilised.

Possible Starting XI (4-4-2/4-4-1-1): Renan – Miguel, Albiol, Helguera, Del Horno - Pablo, Fernandes, Edu/Albelda, Mata – Angulo, Morientes/Zigic

Maritimo

Djalma helped break the Maritimo's scoring duck at the weekend and could get a start, while Fogaca has been the preferred choice up front and should continue to lead the line, with Moutinho waiting in the wings.

Possible Starting XI (4-5-1): Marcos - Briguel, Guilherme, Aguiar, Cardozo - Jorge, Olberdam, Bruno, Goiano, Djalma - Fogaca

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Valencia: Of all the players Emery may consider resting, Juanma Mata is unlikely to be one of them. Scored one against Deportivo and set-up the other three in a superb performance on Sunday, and he is a key driving force behind Los Che's revitalisation.

Maritimo: One of two players to hit the woodwork in the first leg, Brazilian number nine Bruno Fogaca (one among ten in the Maritimo squad) will likely lead the line as Maritimo look to nick a goal. His linking with the counter-attacking midfield will be crucial if the visitors are to cause Valencia any headaches with the possession they have.

PREDICTION

While Valencia were far from convincing in the first leg, they are flying at the moment and changes to the regular winning eleven are unlikely to affect the team's fortunes in this one.

Maritimo showed fight in the first leg, but their defence will be under considerable pressure and, while they showed punch up front in Funchal - hitting the bar twice - they just don't possess enough quality in midfield and attack to worry Los Che. A comfortable win for the home side.

Valencia 2 - 0 Maritimo

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