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Tension at Mestalla as Valencia prepare for key European night

Xinhua, August 18, 2015 Adjust font size:

Valencia Football Club face one of the most important nights in the club's recent history when they entertain Monaco in the first leg of their Champions League qualifying round on Wednesday night.

Valencia earned the right to battle for a place in Europe's top competition thanks to their fourth place finish in the BBVA Primera Liga last season.

The side coached by Nuno Espiritu Santo now have to make good their efforts over 180 minutes in which any mistake could undo all of last season's good work.

It has been a difficult summer at the Mestalla Stadium with the departure of popular Director of Sport, Rufete and of former club President Amadeo Salvo, who had overseen the sale of the club to Singapore based businessman, Peter Lim, which has upset some sections of the support and there were some boos from the crowd as Valencia lost their presentation game 3-0 at home to Roma just over a week ago.

Preparations for Wednesday's game have not been helped by the ongoing transfer saga involving central defender Nicolas Otamendi, who looks certain to join Manchester City in the coming hours.

Otamendi's departure will leave a hole in the Valencia defense after his excellent displays next season, but his defensive partner Shkodran Mustafi has highlighted the need for the rest of the players to remain united, while Antonio Barragan commented that transfer activity was out of the players' hands.

The match will see the competitive debut of Australian international goalkeeper Matt Ryan, while Paco Alcacer will hope to start the season in the rich form which saw him debut for Spain a year ago.

Monaco will be without influential midfielder Joao Moutinho, who has an ankle injury, while Layvin Kurzawa is a major doubt for the French side, who last season knocked Arsenal out of the last 16 of the Champions League on their way to the quarter-finals.

They also have a fitness advantage over Valencia given that the French league has already played two games, while in Spain competition doesn't start until this coming weekend.

That should serve as warning to Valencia that they have a lot of work to do, but with the atmosphere already tense in Mestalla anything other than a win on Wednesday will only serve to ramp the pressure up on Nuno. Endit