Home comforts favour Valencia

By Carlos Urrutia

A proud home record stretching back 36 years against English opposition will be on the line as well as potential Group B superiority when Valencia CF, twice finalists in recent seasons, mark their return to the UEFA Champions League against Liverpool FC.

Star attraction
Real Madrid CF may have been irresistible in European competition last season, but Valencia CF were the star attraction in Spain, pipping the capital club to the Primera División title, their first since 1971, to avenge the Champions League final loss to Vicente del Bosque's side in 2000.

Too clever
In 2001 it was FC Bayern München who denied Valencia a maiden European Champion Clubs' Cup triumph, but not before Los Che had proved themselves too clever for a triumvirate of English clubs: Manchester United FC, Arsenal FC and Leeds United AFC all being eliminated without scoring at the Mestalla stadium.

Aimar passed fit
Goals have not been a problem for Liverpool of late, scoring them anyway. Emile Heskey's late strike at Bolton Wanderers FC on Saturday secured a 3-2 victory and prevented the English side from registering a fourth successive 2-2 draw. Valencia playmaker Pablo Aimar, passed fit after sitting out the 3-0 weekend victory against RC Recreativo de Huelva, will be out to exploit a growing sense of unease in what was the most parsimonious back-line in this competition last season on Tuesday night.

Two-goal cameo
Aimar's fellow Argentinian Kily Gonzalez is suspended following a red card in the UEFA Cup against Internazionale FC last season, while Curro Torres is in line for a recall after being rested against Recreativo. John Carew is also in contention for a starting berth after scoring twice in a 13-minute weekend cameo - doubling last season's tally of goals in the process.

Victory vital
Rafael Benítez, who will be making his Champions League debut as Valencia coach, acknowledged that Liverpool possess a "special mind-set", yet stressed the importance of overcoming that and getting off to a winning start in a section also containing FC Spartak Moskva and FC Basel. "Victory would give us self-confidence and put the pressure on them," he said.

Rainy conditions
Liverpool arrived in Valencia today amid much rain, conditions which would suit their counterattacking style. Manager Gérard Houllier must decide whether to stick with Milan Baroš in attack, scorer of two debut goals against Bolton, or turn once more to Michael Owen or El Hadji Diouf after the European and African footballers of the year sat on the bench on Saturday.

Previous meeting
The two sides met in the 1998/99 UEFA Cup, Liverpool advancing on away goals after drawing 2-2 at the Mestalla following a first-leg goalless stalemate at Anfield. The teams which take to the field on Tuesday may be barely recognisable from those of three years ago but the goal remains the same: longevity in Europe