Valencia coach Ernesto Valverde is wary of the threat posed by Paris Saint-Germain on the counter-attack ahead of their clash on Wednesday.
The La Liga outfit head into the second leg of their round-of-16 Champions League tie trailing 2-1 after being beaten at the Estadio de Mestalla.
PSG will be without star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who was sent off in Spain, but Valverde said the Ligue 1 giants will still be threatening.
It will be a tough balancing act for Valverde, who said he was focused on ensuring his team scored at Parc des Princes.
“What do we have to prioritise? We have to score because we are aware that we have to make up a big disadvantage and we have to score more than a goal,” Valverde said.
“That is what we have to do and try to protect ourselves at the back.
“They are not going to have Ibrahimovic but they have other strong players, as they showed in the first leg, who can launch dangerous counter attacks.
“We have to be aware of them, but the most important aspect is for us to score.”
Carlo Ancelotti’s men go into the clash after a shock 3-2 loss to Sochaux in Ligue 1, and will be eager to respond to the defeat.
Valencia midfielder Sofiane Feghouli said his side had the belief and feels they can advance if they take their chances.
“We have the confidence to win, otherwise we wouldn’t come here. We think we can beat PSG,” he said.
“We are so ambitious and from the beginning we have to push and be intensive in our play. We will have chances and exploiting our chances will be very important in the knockout.”
- Soccer News Like
- Be the first of your friends!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
SoccerNews
Soccernews.com is news blog for soccer with comprehensive coverage of all the major leagues in Europe, as well as MLS in the United States. In addition we offer breaking news for transfers and transfer rumors, ticket sales, betting tips and offers, match previews, and in-depth editorials.
You can follow us on Facebook: Facebook.com/soccernews.com or Twitter: @soccernewsfeed.