Friendship on hold as Valencia host Zenit

• Nuno Espírito Santo puts friendship with André Villas-Boas on hold
• Spanish side have made their worst start to a Liga season in 16 years
  
• Valencia are unbeaten in five home games against Russian teams
  
• Zenit have not won in seven away matches against Spanish opposition
• André Villas-Boas waxes lyrical about Valencia's ability

Possible lineups
Valencia: Jaume; Barragán, Abdennour, Mustafi, Gayá; Enzo Pérez, Parejo, Fuego, Feghouli; Alcácer, Rodrigo.
Out: Alves (knee), Ryan (knee)

Zenit: Lodygin; Smolnikov, Garay, Lombaerts, Criscito; Witsel, Javi García, Shatov, Danny; Hulk, Dzyuba.

Nuno Espírito Santo, Valencia coach
I would love to see a sold-out Mestalla helping its team to win. From my humble position, I call for you to come and support us. We have a good team in terms of both quality and quantity. It is a balanced group. We want to progress to the knockout stage, but we know it will be difficult. You have to respect all your opponents.

There is no fear. We want to transform the fear into a challenge. We want to win and we are obsessed with winning every game. We know our opponents, their players and their style. They will be very competitive. They have great players. We are humble and respect them. André [Villas-Boas] and I are friends. We have talked a lot about football, but in this game he is my opponent.

Zenit coach André Villas-Boas©Getty Images

André Villas-Boas, Zenit coach
The players are ready and prepared. It is a match that everyone wants to play. We are facing the most difficult match we have ahead of us. [Valencia] are very good and very organised. It will be a difficult match for us. What I fear the most is Valencia’s height and their counterattacks. The diagonals balls from [José] Gayà to [Sofiane] Feghouli against Monaco were a constant threat. And so was the change of rhythm from [Daniel] Parejo. Javi Fuego gives a lot of balance to the team and he knows how to pass and how to organise. There are not a lot of stars, but the team works hard both in offence and in defence. Everything will be difficult for us tomorrow.

Weekend results
Sporting Gijon 0-1 Valencia (Paco Alcácer 90+1)
Paco Alcácer came off the bench and scored the only goal of the game to earn Valencia their first league victory of the season.

CSKA Moskva 2-2 Zenit (Lombaerts og 9, Doumbia 22; Hulk 39pen, Smolnikov 88)
Igor Smolnikov's second league goal of the campaign earned Zenit a late point which ensures they remain six points adrift of league leaders CSKA.

Form guide (all competitions, most recent first)*
Valencia: WDLDW
Zenit: DLWLWW

*This season only

Reporter's view: Graham Hunter (@UEFAcomGrahamH)
It was as a squad goalkeeper at Porto that Nuno Espírito Santo got to know André Villas-Boas, who was then the club's scout, tactical analyst and assistant coach. So he, more than anyone, will know the disadvantage of having to face Zenit without his two first choice keepers, Diego Alves and Matty Ryan. Valencia have several players making UEFA Champions League debuts, but so is Nuno himself. Expect one of Europe's best atmospheres at the revamped Mestalla.

Did you know?
Zenit are on a nine-game winless steak against Spanish opposition; discover more in our extensive match background.