Sitting at the top of the table in Belgium, Gent welcome Nuno’s Valencia to the GHELMACO-arena for this fourth match day of the UEFA Champions League.
Two weeks ago is when these same sides met. At La Mestalla, the hosts of that meeting dominated every facet of the match. Defended well in numbers, broke out quickly win pinned back via a set piece opportunity and their forwards had superior technical ability than their opposition. As a result of this, Valencia won by three goals two goals to one.
While that score line may flatter the Belgians, on the pitch there was a gulf in class that was visible on the pitch.
Form
Unbeaten in their last four Belgian Premier League matches, Gent hold a one point lead over Anderlecht. In fact, their only losses this season have come in this season’s edition of the Champions League which is quite a feat.
While they do have a lead at the top of the table, the start of Gent’s season was very auspicious as they drew six of their opening eight matches, winning the other two. Since that point in time however, only two points had been dropped and that game in a match with KV Oostende in which they drew 1-1 at home.
Valencia are finally starting to click on all cylinders and after coming off a 3-0 thumping over local rivals Levante, the Spanish outfit is currently sitting in the seventh position in the table, climbing higher up the league table each and every week.
If they want to continue their good run of fortune, they will need to be up to their very best going into a hostile environment. While playing in front of their own supporters is one thing, Valencia will have to be focused the entire 90 minutes should they go back to Spain with the full three points.
Key Players
Sitting in the middle of the pitch is club captain, Daniel Parejo and he will be the biggest piece of Nuno’s tactical puzzle in trying to dismantle Gent. The 26-year-old works his tail off each and every second he is on the pitch tracking back to help defend while flying forward to create opportunities for his teammates. Even though he does not score man goals, two in eight league appearances, his presence in unmatched.
In the 2010/11 season, Laurent Depoitre found himself playing in the third division for Eendracht Aaist, scoring just eight goals in 14 appearances. Flash forward four years and Depoitre is playing Champions League football and scoring goals for his side who also sit first in the Belgian Pro League while still managing to score goals.
He will be right up against Valencia’s central defenders all night long, constantly trying to beat the offside trap and make back shoulder runs to help Gent’s adventures further up the pitch.
Prediction
The opening half of this match should be a fairly close encounter with both sides trying to simply feel each other out, unwilling to make the first mistake. In the second half, however, Valencia should have enough about them to pull out a goal or two with some ease.