'We won't take Chelsea lightly', say Valencia
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Your support makes all the difference.Despite seven consecutive wins the Valencia coach, Quique Sanchez Flores, says his side will not take Chelsea lightly tomorrow night despite their visitors' comparatively poor form.
The last thing his Chelsea counterpart Avram Grant needs is to come up against a side that have almost forgotten what it feels like not to win. Sanchez Flores' side have won seven games in a row, including five straight league victories which have taken them to joint second place in La Liga, one point behind Real Madrid.
"They still have very good players," he said. "Maybe they will not have the momentum that they had last season but we have to be cautious against them. We prepare just as we prepare against any big rival. They don't have a very clearly defined style at the moment but they still have good individuals."
Despite the superb run Sanches Flores was under pressure recently from fans complaining about his side's style of football. There were even rumours that the club's president, Juan Soler, would try to replace him with Jose Mourinho.
Valencia were knocked out of Europe by Mourinho's Chelsea side last season, drawing 1-1 at Stamford Bridge but losing 2-1 at home. "Every campaign is different and we hope that we can change our luck from last season," Sanchez Flores said.
A defeat in the Mestalla tomorrow night will leave Chelsea five points behind the Spanish side and playing catch-up with either, or both, Rosenborg and Schalke 04. But the Valencia coach's cautious approach was shared by his striker Angulo.
"It's a very strange time for them and we do not know what kind of team we are going to face tomorrow," he said. "But in spite of the fact that it seems their results are not very good at the moment, they still have very good players and for sure it is still going to be a very difficult game.
"But we are playing very intelligent and very practical football. We are taking all our chances and keeping out the opposition and we are picking up the three points each time. Step by step we are very content with how things are going."
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