Gent vs Valencia - Valencia eye spot in knockout stages

Posted Tuesday, November 03, 2015 by PA

Valencia travel to Belgium to face Gent on Wednesday knowing that, if results go their way, they will qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League with two games to spare.

The Spaniards have not reached the knock-out round of the competition since the 2012-13 campaign.

Valencia lost 3-2 at home to Zenit St Petersburg in their Group H opener, but hit back with a 1-0 win at Lyon before beating Gent at the Mestalla stadium a fortnight ago.

A victory on Wednesday coupled with Lyon failing to take three points at home to group leaders Zenit in the other pool game would see Valencia seal a spot in the next round.

"On Wednesday we have a crucial game," Valencia goalkeeper Jaume Domenech said on the club's official website. "We have won our last two games in the Champions League and we want to extend our run with a third win against Gent.

"We are travelling to Belgium with a clear objective - to bring home the three points and secure our passage to the knockout stages."

Valencia, coached by Nuno Espirito Santo, have won six of their last nine way games in European competition.

However, they have only won once and lost two of their five previous games on Belgian soil.

Los Che go into the encounter in buoyant mood after beating Levante 3-0 in Saturday's derby to climb to seventh in La Liga.

Gent, playing for the first time in the Champions League group stages, have taken just one point from their opening three games and scored just one goal.

They are third in the group, five points adrift of Wednesday's opponents and level with bottom-side Lyon.

Hein Vanhaezebrouck's men are aiming for a third-place finish, which would guarantee them Europa League football in the new year.

"We are going to fight until the last match and we will try to get third position," Vanhaezebrouck said. "It will be difficult, but we are going to fight for it."

Gent warmed up for their midweek clash with Saturday's 2-0 triumph at Leuven that kept the defending Belgian champions one point clear of Anderlecht at the top of the domestic standings.

The visitors are without forward Rodrigo, who is sidelined with a knee injury, while goalkeeper Mathew Ryan and defender Aymen Abdennour have recovered from their respective injuries but are unlikely to start on Wednesday.