UEFA.com works better on other browsers
For the best possible experience, we recommend using Chrome, Firefox or Microsoft Edge.

Slomka urges Schalke to be ruthless

Mirko Slomka believes FC Schalke 04 are in a three-way tussle for second spot behind Chelsea FC in Group B – hence the importance of Tuesday's Valencia CF game.

Mirko Slomka believes FC Schalke 04 are in a three-way tussle for second spot in Group B as he looks to create history by taking the club into the UEFA Champions League knockout rounds for the first time.

Crucial match
The German side have fallen at the group stage in their two previous campaigns in Europe's premier competition, and Slomka thinks their opener against Valencia CF could prove pivotal with games against Chelsea FC and Rosenborg BK to come. "Chelsea are favourites but the other three teams can compete for second place," he said. "I'm not sure how the table will look at the end but we can take a good step forward by beating Valencia." With so much at stake, it is no surprise that the Gelsenkirchen club have done their homework on their Spanish opponents.

Counterattacking threat
"We've watched them three times and are well informed," said Slomka. "Valencia's performances in the Spanish league sometimes differ from their Champions League displays. They can have a bad result in Spain but follow it up with an excellent European performance. We must be careful about their counterattacks. They have top-quality players and we have to take care of them. It's also imperative to take our chances as there are normally only a few in Champions League matches."

Injury worries
Slomka has been dealt his fair share of problems with Levan Kobiashvili, Mathias Abel, Gustavo Varela and Mladen Krstajić all out injured, and Rafinha a doubt. To make his task even harder, the coach will have to watch from the stands after collecting a one-match ban following Schalke's UEFA Cup exit to AS Nancy-Lorraine last season. He does not see it as a major issue though, saying: "I have prepared everything with my technical staff and I am confident they can manage the situation. My mobile is always switched off during games – it will be the same on Tuesday."

Improving Valencia
Valencia's campaign improved on Saturday when David Silva scored an added-time winner against Real Valladolid CF to move Los Ché on to six points from three matches in the Primera División. Coach Quique Sánchez Flores said: "At the start of the season we were a bit unlucky. We have been performing better but I hope the Champions League will lift us to our true level. My defence and midfield are playing better – now I want more creativity from our strikers. I've seen an improvement in training and now we must show this in matches."

Heated atmosphere
Sánchez Flores expects Schalke to make life extremely difficult but he will not change his game plan as he searches for a morale-boosting result. "Schalke could easily have been Bundesliga champions last season," he said. "They are very strong in defence, play with a good strategy and can cause us a lot of problems. It is important for us to perform well and to be in the knockout phase so this is a big game." Save for an injury to defender Marco Caneira, the visitors are at full strength.