Sánchez Flores keeps level head

Valencia CF strode to a 3-0 victory in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League third qualifying round tie against IF Elfsborg but coach Quique Sánchez Flores is not celebrating yet.

Victory sealed
At the Mestalla Stadium last night, Sánchez Flores favoured the players that helped Valencia to last season's quarter-finals over his new signings including Alexis Ruano and Sunday 'Sunny' Obayan. He was rewarded as Vicente Rodríguez, David Silva and Fernando Morientes gave the Spanish club a commanding lead to take to Sweden in a fortnight.

Ambition
"The result is fair and a good one at that and it allows us to face the return leg with certain things guaranteed but I don't agree with the idea that the tie has already been decided," Sánchez Flores said. "We have sent out an ambitious message and that means we have to make sure the next match will be even better than this one. We want to win the next leg too to get a confidence boost."

Duo welcomed
Both Vicente and Rubén Baraja missed much of last season with ankle and hamstring problems respectively, but performed well to the delight of their coach. Sánchez Flores said: "Vicente and Baraja had a great match. They're like new signings for this season after their injuries and they improve the team."