Valencia arrive tired and emotional

The general perception that the Champions League is swamping domestic competitions throughout Europe, and that there are too many games and not enough rest received yet more support yesterday, and from an unexpected quarter, Valencia.

Last year's beaten finalists, Valencia are one of the previously regional, lower plateau clubs that have benefited hugely financially from the expansion of the European Cup, a factor that has enabled them to keep hold of two of the most impressive players of the past two years, Gaizka Mendieta and Kily Gonzalez. In a different era both of those players would have joined Claudio Lopez on the way out of the Mestalla once the glass ceiling had been reached.

Instead Valencia simply re-invested the money - £20 million sterling - received from Lazio for Lopez on the Norwegian striker John Carew and the young Argentinian playmaker Pablo Aimar. Third behind Deportivo La Coruna and Barcelona in Spain last season, the Champions League has been good to Valencia's bank account. Once they would have been in the UEFA Cup.

But no amount of money can compensate for inadequate preparation, and that was the Valencia view when they finally descended from their aeroplane at Manchester airport at 10.0 p.m. on Sunday. It had taken them nine hours to get from the Canary Islands, where they played on Saturday night, temperature 25C, and here they were in the frost of northern England, weary.

A Canaries carnival had been responsible for the delay, but that was not the mood Valencia were in. They may have won away from home for the first time since October, beating Las Palmas 2-0, but manager Hector Cupar was stressing the hectic schedule. "Our biggest problem is fatigue," he said.

It might be thought that Valencia's failure to score against Manchester United over three games, including last week's 0-0, stretching back over 14 months would occupy Cupar more. That is certainly what is bothering the Spanish press. Unimpressed with Carew, they have been lobbying for the recall of Juan Sanchez, but that appears harsh on Carew. As Kily Gonzalez said: "We have not beaten any of the big sides in Spain this season and if we are to prove ourselves a great side then we have to win at places like Old Trafford." It cannot all be Carew's fault.

There has also been what is known as a "split in the camp". Yugoslav defender Miroslav Djukic, who has not spoken to his goalkeeper Santiago Canizares for two years, has publicly rebuked Cupar for unadventurous tactics, particularly away from home. He has also claimed it would be "suicidal" if Valencia were to play for a draw this evening.

Mendieta, Djukic's captain, was quick to reprimand him and to add: "In no way would a draw here be a bad result."

For Valencia. Whether United see it that way is another matter. Three more points and United will be in the quarterfinals for the fifth year in a row. In last season's meeting at Old Trafford United won 3-0, albeit with Valencia understrength, and as Alex Ferguson said yesterday: "Obviously we'll be fresh, fresher than Valencia. They had to play on Saturday and travel. We rested." Hardly words of comfort for Cupar. United have no injury worries.

Ferguson, though, was reminded of the last Spanish opposition to visit, Real Madrid last year. The eventual European Cup winners won 3-2 and Ferguson said: "If I had my time over again, that is one game I'd play differently. We played from the history book that night, and the history book isn't always right."

That appeared to signal that tonight will not feature some gung-ho United play of the past. Patience, as against Panathin aikos, will be important.

As will width. Cupar resisted the invitation to criticise David Beckham yesterday, Beckham having been substituted last Wednesday in Valencia, and focused instead on the other flank. There Ryan Giggs will again engage Jocelyn Angloma in a duel, and both managers are of the opinion that this may well be the key battle. If Giggs sparkles, as he has so often on European nights, then it is to be hoped Angloma had a good flight followed by sound sleep.