Reds face Valencia test
Olympiakos will likely make its final effort of the year to stop its away-match jinx in the Champions League and beat Valencia at the Mestalla Stadium in Spain tonight. The Reds are going into this game with nothing to lose, as qualification to the next round of the competition is virtually beyond reach, while the third spot will be decided in the last game of the group, at home against Shakhtar Donetsk. Manager Trond Sollied said yesterday he would be happy with a draw, but if his team plays well it could even win. «In Athens the match was decided by mere details. I expect the same in this game, too,» he said. The Norwegian coach will decide today whether he will field Ieroklis Stoltidis and Michalis Constantinou, who are not yet fit to play. For his part, Brazilian attraction Rivaldo said it is always a pleasure for him to play in Spain «especially against a big team such as Valencia.» Some 350-400 Greeks are expected to attend the game, hoping that Olympiakos will increase its tally of two points. For Valencia, a stylish victory against Olympiakos is the only way to pick itself up after its miserable run of luck in recent months, its defender Miguel said. «Everything seems to be happening to us at the moment,» the Portuguese international stated. «At the weekend another teammate [Edu] got injured and things seem to be getting more and more difficult for us.» On Saturday Valencia lost 3-0 against Sevilla and are eighth in the league. (Kathimerini, Reuters)
