Champions League previews: Valencia v Rangers
A penny for Maurice Edu’s thoughts ahead of Rangers’ visit to Valencia.
The Ibrox club’s American international midfielder rates his own chances of being fit for the tie in the Mestalla as “50-50”, which could describe his evening when these two clubs met in Glasgow two weeks ago, when he headed Rangers into the lead, only to head into his own net to give Valencia a point.
A penny found, here’s what he thinks ahead of a match that could go a long way towards earning Rangers a spot in the last 16, not that he’s thinking about that just yet.
“It would be naive to look too far ahead as the Champions League includes the best teams in the world,” said Edu.
“The Europa League [i.e. finishing third in their group] was our goal coming into the competition, I think, but now we're in a position where we can qualify for the last 16, and fingers crossed we can get there.”
To get there then they will have to avoid defeat to a Valencia side whose La Liga form has tailed off in recent weeks, but who will still provide the sternest of tests to a Rangers rearguard stunned by little Inverness Caledonian Thistle becoming the first side to take a point off them in the league this season. This will of course be tougher, and probably too tough.
Elsewhere, Barcelona head for Copenhagen buoyed by a stunning 5-0 victory over Sevilla at the weekend.
Leo Messi and David Villa both struck twice in that romp for the 2006 and 2009 Champions League winners, and after Messi’s brace gave Barça a 2-0 win over Copenhagen at the Nou Camp last time out, a win here would secure qualification. The Danes are dangerous at home though, and will fancy their chances of upsetting the odds.
Elsewhere in Group D, Panathinaikos head to Russia to face Rubin Kazan following a weekend win over Olympiakos – the opponents that they most enjoy beating.
It’s been a different story for the Greeks in the Champions League though, and defeat for either side here would mean that third place in the group and Europa League qualification would be the best they could hope for.
As Spurs face Inter Milan at White Hart Lane, both of the other teams in Group A do battle, probably hoping for an Italian victory in North London. Both Werder Bremen and FC Twente could steal second from Spurs with a win, and the sides will enter battle in Germany knowing just that.
Twente are currently top of the Dutch League, a stark contrast to a Werder team languishing mid-table in the Bundesliga. Both will be desperate for their first Champions League win over the season.
Benfica play host to Lyon in an attractive looking tie in Lisbon.
Already seven points adrift of Porto in their domestic league, the Portuguese side have lost twice in the Champions League, and will have to end Lyon’s perfect record in the group if they are to progress in the competition. The Europa League – where they reached the quarter finals last season – beckons for Jorge Jesus’ men.
The other match in Group A sees Schalke go to Israel to face bottom side Hapoel Tel-Aviv, who have lost all three of their matches so far, conceding eight goals in the process. Raúl –already the Champions League’s all-time top scorer with 68 goals – will be looking for his third European strike of the season after hitting a brace when these sides met two weeks ago.
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