Chelsea's Mata makes quick return to Valencia

Juan Mata makes a return to Mestalla far sooner than he might have expected as his new club Chelsea FC visit former employers Valencia CF in the second round of Group E fixtures.

• Mata was on target on matchday one as Chelsea opened their campaign with a 2-0 home defeat of Bayer 04 Leverkusen, while Valencia earned a scoreless draw at KRC Genk.

Previous meetings
• This is the teams' fifth fixture since April 2007, Chelsea winning 2-1 on both previous trips to Mestalla. When they met in the 2007/08 group stage the London outfit's victory came courtesy of an Emiliano Moretti own goal and Didier Drogba's strike. It was Chelsea's first European tie in the post-José Mourinho era, the Portuguese coach having departed following a home draw against Rosenborg BK on matchday one.

• The lineups at Mestalla on 3 October 2007 were:
Valencia: Hildebrand, Albiol, Marchena, Helguera, Miguel, Moretti, Albelda (Baraja 75), Joaquín (Arizmendi 88), Silva, Villa, Morientes (Žigić 69).
Chelsea: Čech, Ferreira, Carvalho, Terry, A Cole, Makelele, Essien (Sidwell 84), Mikel (Alex 89), J Cole, Drogba, Malouda (Kalou 86).

• The previous season the teams crossed swords in the quarter-finals; after a 1-1 first-leg draw in London, Fernando Morientes gave Valencia a 32nd-minute advantage in the return, but Andriy Shevchenko levelled early in the second period and Michael Essien's 90th-minute goal took Chelsea into the semi-finals.

Match background
• Before 2007 Valencia were unbeaten at home against English opposition but have lost their last three games; the two against Chelsea and last season's 1-0 group stage defeat by Manchester United FC. Their overall home record against English visitors is W7 D4 L3.

• Valencia beat Arsenal FC on penalties to capture the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup after a goalless draw in the 1979/80 final. They then got the better of Nottingham Forest FC seven months later in the UEFA Super Cup.

• After last season's defeat by United, Valencia won their other two home games in the group, scoring nine goals and conceding only one in beating Rangers FC 3-0 and Bursaspor 6-1. In the round of 16 they drew 1-1 at home to FC Schalke 04 before losing 3-1 away.

• Two significant Chelsea victories against Spanish opponents came on neutral soil. They played Real Madrid CF in the 1970/71 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final in Athens, winning the replay 2-1 after a 1-1 draw with Peter Osgood scoring in both games. The teams also met in the 1998 UEFA Super Cup in Monaco, Chelsea prevailing 1-0 thanks to Gus Poyet's goal.

• Chelsea, taking part in their ninth successive UEFA Champions League edition, lost their last away group game 1-0 at Olympique de Marseille, but had previously gone six matches unbeaten on their travels, winning four.

• The Blues are unbeaten in their last six visits to Spain, drawing four and recording those two wins at Valencia. Their last defeat came on 1 November 2005 when they went down 1-0 at Real Betis Balompié in the group stage. Chelsea's overall record in Spain is W3 D4 L5.

Team ties
• Nurtured at Real Madrid CF's youth academy, Mata joined Valencia in 2007, scoring 45 times in 172 appearances before moving to Chelsea in August. The FIFA World Cup winner with Spain made his UEFA Champions League debut in Valencia's goalless draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on 11 December 2007.

• Fernando Torres scored two goals in eight encounters against Valencia while at Club Atlético de Madrid and was sent off in the Rojiblancos' 1-0 home Liga defeat on 9 September 2006.

• Ramires and Jonas – making his international debut – appeared as Brazil secured a 2-0 friendly victory against Scotland on 27 March 2011.

• Adil Rami and Florent Malouda are international team-mates for France while Nicolas Anelka and Jérémy Mathieu have also represented the French national side.

• Anelka scored twice in 19 Liga appearances for Real Madrid in 1999/2000.

• Daniel Parejo made 18 appearances for Queens Park Rangers FC while on loan from Real Madrid between August and December 2008.