Valencia will have Fernando Morientes available for tomorrow night's Champions League return leg against Chelsea at the Mestalla.
The Spaniards go into the quarter-final tie on level terms with their English
opponents after a battling 1-1 draw - and away goal - at Stamford Bridge last
week.
Morientes missed that game after sustaining a shoulder injury while on
international duty with Spain, but the experienced striker has recovered and
coach Quique Sanchez Flores has confirmed he will come into contention although
he may start on the bench.
'Morientes is available for selection,' said Sanchez Flores.
'Although I still haven't decided if he will play from the start against
Chelsea.'
Morientes' return cannot come quickly enough for the hosts, whose squad has
been decimated by injuries all season.
The list of walking wounded currently includes Ruben Baraja, Vicente and Edu,
while Carlos Marchena and David Navarro are suspended for their part in the
brawl which marred Valencia's triumph over Inter Milan in the previous round.
Morientes is Los Che's top scorer in this season's Champions League with five
goals and he also has a history against Chelsea in this competition, netting
twice against them while playing for Monaco in the 2003/04 semi-finals.
He re-enters the fray with his side nicely placed against Jose Mourinho's men.
Sanchez Flores is taking nothing for granted though.
'We knew after the game in London that we had not achieved anything yet,' he
said.
'We have everything to play for. I think it is going to be a similar game to
that at Stamford Bridge, intense and physical.
'I agree with Mourinho, that the game will be decided in the final few
minutes.'
Valencia were excellent in the first leg and took the lead through David
Silva's thunderbolt after half an hour.
Didier Drogba hauled the home side level eight minutes into the second half
but Chelsea could not find a winner.
'We have to play with the same intensity,' said Sanchez Flores.
'In this competition there is no room for error, we must try to avoid
conceding a goal but we must also try to score against Chelsea.
'Mourinho is a good coach who has won titles and I'm sure he will make some
tactical changes.'
Drogba is the dangerman as far as Sanchez Flores is concerned.
He added: 'We will have to limit the supply line to Drogba and (Andriy)
Shevchenko.
'We must be sure to keep them away from our area as much as possible.
'It's not easy to mark a player like Drogba, but we need to mark him closely
and we will have to defend well.'
Sanchez Flores rested a host of key players for Saturday's Primera Liga game
against Athletic Bilbao at San Mames and paid the price as the hosts secured a
1-0 win.
That result relegated Valencia to fifth in the table, six points behind
leaders Barcelona.
Sanchez Flores still believes the title is within reach, however.
'We are privileged to defend the Spanish honour in the Champions League and
we are also privileged to be in the race for the Spanish title with nine games
remaining,' he said
