Capdevila urges Villarreal to take their chance

The old adage that goals win games is not lost on Joan Capdevila as Villarreal CF look to overcome Panathinaikos FC and clinch a place in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.

Chances missed
Capdevila was a frustrated onlooker as he served a suspension at El Madrigal two weeks ago, watching on as Manuel Pellegrini's team missed a host of chances and were held to a 1-1 first-leg draw. The experienced defender knows his side cannot afford to do the same in Athens. "We have said many times we need to capitalise on the chances we create and we saw from the first game we can create lots of opportunities," the 31-year-old full-back said. "Against Panathinaikos we have another chance to put this right. We know we need to score to keep our hopes of qualifying alive; hopefully we will."

Unpredictable
When the draw for the first knockout round was made Villarreal were considered firm favourites to advance. However, the Athenians upset the form book by gaining a precious away goal in Spain and Capdevila knows the UEFA Champions League is often unpredictable. "If we compare the teams in the draw I would say Panathinaikos are not the most difficult opponent we could have faced," said the Spanish international. "But in Europe, and especially in the Champions League, things don't always work out as you might expect.

'Tough opponents'
"Panathinaikos have proved they are tough opponent," Capdevila continued. "We must start with the mind-set of defending well, but then when we attack we have to be clinical in front of goal. The crowd will help the home team a lot but it will not be an issue for us. We are used to this kind of pressure and the only thing on our minds will be the players we face on the pitch, not the people in the stands."