Gross feels the strain in Spain

FC Basel coach Christian Gross admitted that his side could have lost by more than the six goals they conceded against a rampant Valencia CF in their UEFA Champions League Group B encounter at the Mestalla stadium.

Singing in the rain
Valencia's wonder boys were singing in the rain with a dazzling half-dozen goals against Basel - including four in an 18-minute first-half spell - and Gross had nothing but praise for his opponents.

'The result says it all'
"The result says it all," Gross said. "They could even have scored more than six. We were playing against a very experienced, attack-minded team, and the key of our defeat was our inability to stop Pablo Aimar. We also did not have enough ball possession and both [David] Albelda and [Rubén] Baraja were better than our midfield players."

Close to record
With three wins out of three in Group B, Rafael Benítez's team are now close to the second group stage of the Champions League. In stormy conditions, Valencia were just one away from matching the record goals tally in the competition - although that would have been hard on a brave Basel side, who had secured four points in their previous two games.

Carew the key
Benítez opted, after some speculation, to continue with the striking partnership of John Carew and Pablo Aimar. And his decision paid dividends as Carew scored the first two and helped make the other four - including one for Aimar, who himself created the first and sixth Valencia strikes. Fábio Aurélio, Baraja and substitute Mista were also on target, though Julio Hernán Rossi and Hakan Yakin book-ended the second half with two fine goals.

'Never in doubt'
A delighted Benítez admitted after the game: "Victory was never in doubt. Scoring so many goals allowed us to refine our alternative tactical plans and try some new things. But nobody must think Basel are not a good team. Their problem today was our incredible first 30 minutes. I think it was too much for them."

Constant danger
Indeed it was. For the third week running it was hard to find fault with any Valencia player going forward, the team now having scored eleven in their three tournament victories. Behind the awesome Carew and Aimar, Baraja was his usual lively, creative self, Albelda was also a constant danger, and Basel never found a real solution to the wing-play and crossing of Vicente Rodríguez.

Hakan Yakin consolation
However, as Benítez pointed out, Basel did not play like a team that deserved to concede six. They were certainly stunned in that first-half period where every Valencia attack threatened to produce a goal - and more than the four the arrived in that spell - but Hakan Yakin always gave Basel's enthusiastic 1,300 travelling fans something to cheer, no least his run that made Rossi's goal 17 seconds into the second half, then his clever long-distance lob at the end that beat Santiago Cañizares and gave the visitors a second consolation.

'Not bad at all'
Aimar admitted that Valencia had been the better side but paid tribute to their gallant opponents. "I think we did our best, helped by our quick first goal," he said. "But it was not an easy game, because they are not bad at all. And we have to remember we have not won anything yet."

Five-point cushion
But with Valencia five points clear of Basel and Liverpool FC - who also lost here to an excellent home performance in similarly wet conditions - they will take a lot of catching, as today's beaten side will know when they welcome the Spanish champions to Switzerland for the return on Matchday Four.