Valencia will have to cope without Argentine international Nicolas Otamendi as they attempt to move a step closer to ending a three-year absence from the Uefa Champions League when they host Monaco on Wednesday night.
Otamendi is expected to complete a move to Manchester City in the coming days, the timing of which is far from ideal for coach Nuno Espirito Santo’s men as they prepare for two games against last season’s quarter-finalists that could make or break their season.
“We are concentrated on the game against Monaco. What happens with Otamendi is out of our control,” Valencia defender Antonio Barragan said on Monday. “We need to go through. It hasn’t crossed our minds we won’t go through the qualifier.”
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Otamendi’s departure is the latest episode of an unsettling summer for Valencia which was compounded by drawing the most difficult opponents they could have faced at this stage in Monaco.
Hampered by financial fair play regulations and several compulsory purchase agreements on loan deals agreed for players last summer, Valencia have not been able to significantly improve the squad that pipped Sevilla to a topfour finish on the final day of the Primera Liga season.
Australian international Matthew Ryan is expected to make his debut in goal for the Spaniards, with Diego Alves ruled out for the rest of the year due to cruciate ligament damage.
Santi Mina and Zakaria Bakkali could also make their competitive debuts, but both are likely to start on the bench.
Monaco’s preparations for the tie have also been far from smooth after suffering a double injury blow during a disappointing 0-0 draw at home to Lille on Friday.
Portuguese midfielder Joao Moutinho will miss both legs after being ruled out for four to six weeks with ankle ligament damage, whilst Layvin Kurzawa is a doubt as he, too, suffered an ankle knock.
In contrast to Valencia, Monaco are a much changed side from the one that surprisingly reached the last eight last season.
The likes of Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco and Geoffrey Kondogbia were sold on, with eight new players arriving.
Ivan Cavaleiro is one of the new recruits who has experience of facing Valencia from his time at Deportivo la Coruna last season and knows what a tough task the French side face to return to the group stages.
“Valencia are a great team. They had a great season last year and that is where they are in the position to play for a place in the Champions League,” he told the club’s website.
“They have great players and it will be a very tough tie for us.”
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