Valencia vs Osasuna preview - Djukic hoping Valencia can kick on

Valencia return to Primera Division action this weekend following Thursday night's Europa League win over Swansea and coach Miroslav Djukic is hoping they can transfer their good continental form to the domestic stage.

Los Che are currently in mid-table after winning only one of their last seven league games - a 1-0 victory at Getafe earlier this month.

They did, however, book their place in the Europa League knockout stages with a 1-0 win at Swansea as Dani Parejo scored the only goal to tie up a fourth victory on the spin in Europe.

And Serbian coach Djukic is hoping his side can build on that result, starting against Osasuna at the Mestalla on Sunday.

"We are very happy especially in this situation. We needed a win to get our confidence back," he told AS.

"I'm happy for the players because the victory gives us peace of mind and because we kept a clean sheet.

"In the second half we suffered because they worked well, but we knew how to defend.

"It's true that in the league we are not where we want to be, but in the Europa League, we are."

Los Che had a training session in Wales on Friday morning ahead of their flight home as they prepared for the visit of Osasuna.

Attacking midfielders Ever Banega and Dorlan Pabon, who remained in Valencia due to injury, could return this weekend but the game may have arrived too soon for goalkeeper Vicente Guaita.

In the last season's corresponding fixture, Valencia claimed a 4-0 win and also an aggregate 4-1 Copa del Rey victory over Sunday's opponents but Los Rojillos striker Oriol Riera is confident they will put up a good fight this time around.

Osasuna sit four points below Valencia following their 1-0 victory at Valladolid last Friday and Riera, who could return to Javi Gracia's side following suspension, told osasuna.es: "When the big teams are struggling they can be doubly difficult to face, but maybe it's easier to surprise them.

"It will, however, be a difficult and competitive game at Valencia.

"We will try to continue our winning ways and we will make life difficult at the Mestalla."

The 27-year-old forward hopes his side can claim a second successive win in Valencia, adding: "(At Valladolid) it was very important to get the three points because it will be tough this weekend.

"Now we aim to clinch a second win in two games. That's what we are trying to do."

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