PSG confident ahead of Valencia trip after Ligue 1 win, says Ancelotti

Posted Saturday, February 09, 2013 by Goal.com

Ahead of their clash in the last 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday, the Italian coach believes the 3-1 win over Bastia was the ideal preparation before their trip to Mestalla

Paris Saint-Germain coach Carlo Ancelotti insists his side have had the perfect preparation for their Champions League showdown with Valencia.

The former Milan boss says they will travel to the Mestalla on Tuesday "mentally and physically" prepared following their 3-1 win over Bastia.

With one eye on the trip to Spain, Ancelotti could even afford to give Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Ezequiel Lavezzi a brief rest by starting them on the bench.

"We can go into the next match in the Champions League with confidence," Ancelotti told France Football.

"It's good preparation because the players have recuperated and we have the time to prepare mentally and physically.

"Menez has had a very good match and was decisive, while it was not difficult to convince Ibra to start from the bench. He understood why just as [Blaise] Matuidi and [Mamadou] Sakho did. There is always a risk of injury and the idea was to avoid it."

The win over Bastia extends PSG's lead at the top of Ligue 1 to six points, though, Lyon do have a game in hand.

"We won and took three points, which was our goal," he added.

"These are three important points in the league. The other teams have to play now, but for us the important thing was to keep picking up results."