Champions League
2011-09-28 - Valencia vs Chelsea
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football : Champions League Match Day 2
Wednesday 28 September 2011 - Kickoff 7:45pm
This game is live on TV
Valencia
Valencia are not the side of years gone by as they have been forced to sell some of their better talent to ensure the club remains financially viable. They are still the 2nd favourites to get out of this group alongside Chelsea, but they will need to take advantage of what has been a traditionally tough venue to visit.
The team sits in 7th spot in La Liga after losing their first League game of the season at Sevilla at the weekend. They have been solid at the Mestalla where they are 2-1-0 this season, scoring 7 goals and conceding 5.
Valencia drew their last home game in the League with Barcelona having twice led in that game. That means they have won just 1 of their last 4 games in all competitions including a 0-0 draw at Genk during the first round of matches in the group stage of this competition. They have lost just 1 of their last 5 home games in the Champions League, although winning just 2 of those.
David Albelda will need to pass a fitness test having missed the weekend defeat at Sevilla with a back injury. Mehmet Topal is another doubt having missed the 3 games since being injured at Genk.
Chelsea
You can just see the new era being created by Andre Villa-Boas taking shape at Stamford Bridge and it looks to be a positive one with more dynamic players helping to provide more creativity and movement for the team.
Chelsea are currently 3rd in the Premier League, 3 points behind the Manchester clubs, having compiled a 4-1-1 record. They are 1-1-1 away from home, scoring 3 goals and conceding 4, but I am sure the fans must feel they deserved more from their draw at Stoke and their loss at Manchester United.
The Blues have won 5 of their last 7 games in all competitions, including a 2-0 home win over Bayer Leverkusen in the first games of the group stage. Chelsea have won 4 and lost 3 of their last 7 away games in the Champions League, although the loss at Marseille last season was with a changed team having already qualified for the knockout stages.
Fernando Torres is suspended domestically, but has scored 2 goals in 2 games and should get the start here along with former Valencia player Juan Mata. David Luiz may only get a place on the bench, while Daniel Sturridge is a doubt having missed the game with Swansea at the weekend. Didier Drogba returned with a goal in the weekend win, but may have to settle for a place on the bench.
Head to Head
Valencia and Chelsea will be meeting for the 5th time in competitive games having played in the 2006/07 and 2007/08 Champions League seasons.
Surprisingly, Valencia have avoided defeat in their 2 visits to Stamford Bridge, but have lost both home games 1-2.
Valencia have now lost their last 3 home games against English opposition having been unbeaten in 11 games before that.
Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 6 away games in Spain, but the only 2 wins they have recorded have both been at Valencia.
Prediction
Valencia have made a positive start to the season in Spain, but the team is clearly not as strong as they have been in recent seasons even though there are still some talented players like Roberto Soldado still in the line up.
Their draw with Barcelona also shows they are still capable of giving the best teams in Europe a hard time, but I have to say I have a sneaky feeling the Blues will get the better of them.
Chelsea have a fine record coming to Spain and have enjoyed their visits to Valencia more than most. They have also shown plenty of ability in their recent games and I will also admit that I have been a little seduced by their performance at Old Trafford recently.
Not many teams come to Manchester United and have as much of the play, and create as many chances, as Chelsea did and they look a much different side to the one that ended last season.
Fernando Torres has been playing better in the last few games and I can see him having an impact in his return to Spain, while Juan Mata will be able to offer his new club an insight into the one he left a couple of months ago.
At the prices on offer, I am going to have an interest on Chelsea to record their 3rd success in a row at Valencia.
The Statistics :
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Pick :
Valencia 1-2 Chelsea
