Tørum rallies Rosenborg troops

After a 4-1 weekend defeat by Lillestrøm SK in the Tippeligaen, a result which leaves them sixth in the table, Rosenborg BK coach Knut Tørum insists his team will strive to raise morale against Valencia CF on Wednesday.

Pick-me-up needed
"I believe a win can bring back the Champions League buzz to the club and, given our position in the league, Rosenborg as a whole would gain confidence if we were to get a good result," said Tørum. They could certainly do with a lift. After a fine 1-1 draw at Chelsea FC on Matchday 1, the Norwegian side's Group B hopes took a major blow when they lost 2-0 at home to FC Schalke 04 three weeks ago, making this match a vital one.

Tactical changes
"I think this game will be quite different from the Schalke one," said Tørum. "Schalke attacked quickly, and didn't have possession quite as much as I expect Valencia to have." As a consequence of their opponents' different approach, Tørum will make tactical adjustments before the Lerkendal meeting. "We will force them to play differently from how they have planned. We will be more aggressive and aim to meet them well into their own half," added the 36-year-old.

Experienced Kvarme
Tørum makes two changes from the team beaten heavily at Lillestrøm. Centre-forward Steffen Iversen is back from injury and replaces Øyvind Storflor while Bjørn Tore Kvarme comes in for Christer Basma at the back. Kvarme knows all about facing a side like Valencia, having performed for three seasons at Real Sociedad de Fútbol between 2001 and 2004. "Bjørn Tore has been impressive on the training ground, and of course, it's an advantage that he knows the Spanish game so well," explained Tørum.

Upbeat visitors
For Valencia, the domestic situation is more comfortable. Having won 4-2 at RC Deportivo La Coruña, Quique Sánchez Flores's men climbed to third in the Primera División, one point behind leaders Real Madrid CF. However, they have no intention of underestimating their rivals, especially having succumbed at home to Chelsea three weeks ago following a Matchday 1 success at Schalke. "Our confidence levels are good but we know the game will be difficult," said Sánchez Flores. Spanish clubs have struggled this far north at this time of the year, yet the coach does not envisage the cold climate being a problem.

Villa doubt
"We actually thought it would be even colder, so that will not be an issue. The most important thing is that the pitch is good and it looks as though it is," he said. Valencia hope to have goal machine David Villa ready but if that proves not to be the case, Sánchez Flores still expects to send out a quality side. "We have a strong squad and even though we hope that Villa will be fit for the game, I'm confident we'll perform well anyway. We are very motivated to play a good game," he declared.