Deportivo ready to play ace

By Patrick Hart

RC Deportivo La Coruña will look to the Juan Valerón effect to keep their UEFA Champions League hopes alive when Group D rivals FC Basel visit the Riazor stadium tonight.

Welcome return 
Playmaker Valerón made his comeback from a shin injury on Saturday as Deportivo thrashed Deportivo Alavés. The 6-0 victory not only iced Javier Irureta's cake as the coach celebrated his 500th top-flight game as a coach; it also marked a return to form for a Deportivo side frustrated by defeat in Basel four days earlier.

Coach's call 
It was, by all accounts, their best performance of the year. Valerón appeared for the first time since 22 December, yet his 35-minute cameo may not be enough to earn him a place against Basel. "You are normally eased back into action after an injury, but that's for the coach to decide. I feel great and hope to play," he said.

New template 
Irureta is expected to start with Diego Tristán, a hat-trick scorer against Alavés, alongside Roy Makaay in attack, with the two returnees, Valerón and club captain Fran González both confined to the bench. Whatever Irureta decides, he insisted it would be a squad effort. "The main thing is to win, and you don't necessarily achieve that with just those players that start a game," he said.

Must-win game 
"It will be difficult for us, but we will keep on fighting to qualify, and to do that we have to win against Basel," Valerón said of his team's prospects. Defeats by Basel and Manchester United FC, and a home draw with Juventus FC, have left Deportivo bottom of the group. If they are to reach the quarter-finals for a third year running, they must take something from their remaining home games, on Tuesday and against United on Matchday 12.

Basel buoyed 
Despite taking three points off Deportivo at the Saint Jakob Park, and the fact they are just one point behind second-placed Juventus at the halfway stage, surprise package Basel remain group outsiders. However their cause will not be helped by the absence of Murat Yakin.

Quennoz chance
The team captain did not travel to Spain with his team-mates due to a bout of 'flu and will be replaced by Alexandre Quennoz. "I never doubt my team and I have full confidence in all of my players. Quennoz has already shown his qualities in the matches against Liverpool FC," Basel coach Christian Gross said.

Cup success
Mario Cantaluppi and Carlos Varela are also ill, while Antonio Esposito, Ivan Ergic and Marco Zwyssig miss out through injury. Nevertheless, Gross's side are in good form, having warmed up for this game by beating FC Yverdon-Sports 3-0 in the Swiss Cup on Saturday.