Semin steels his charges for Valencia test

FC Dynamo Kyiv coach Yuri Semin has said that Valencia CF were the one team he wanted to avoid in December's UEFA Cup Round of 32 draw. However, despite that assessment of the Spanish club, who travel to the Valeri Lobanovskiy Stadium for Wednesday's first-leg tie, Semin believes his side have an equal chance of progress.

Attacking threat
"Valencia are the strongest opponents we could face at this stage," Semin said, "but before the match the chances are always even – 50-50." Even so, the experienced coach acknowledges the teamwork and attacking prowess that make Valencia a formidable rival. "Valencia have great penetration in attack, which you'd expect from a team boasting European champions in [David] Villa, Joaquín and Vicente [Rodríguez]. But they are also dangerous because of their team play and counterattacking."

Prolonged adventure
The game in Kiev will be Dynamo's first competitive outing since they beat Fenerbahçe SK in the UEFA Champions League on 10 December. That victory may not have been enough to prolong Dynamo's campaign in the élite club competition, but it did guarantee their longest run in a European season since 2004/05. For the visit of Valencia, Carlos Corrêa and Oleh Gusev are back having missed six months through injury while recent additions Serhiy Kravchenko and Guilherme Milhomem Gusmao come into contention. However, centre-half Pape Diakhate is a long-term absentee and forward Olexandr Aliyev is suspended.

Domestic woes
Valencia, fourth in Spain, have suffered a damaging run of results – winning one of their last five Liga games and exiting the Copa del Rey. Unai Emery's men have faltered particularly on their travels with five successive league losses away from Mestalla. However, midfielder David Albelda believes a stronger work ethic will produce a change in fortunes. "We're not at our best and things aren't really falling for us, but we have to continue trying to improve by working hard," Albelda said.

Craving glory
Valencia, winners of this tournament in 2003/04, came through the group stage unbeaten and Albelda is eyeing the top prize. "We've got a lot of hope invested in this competition and we're highly motivated to do well," he said. "We have to look forward with optimism. I believe we will pick ourselves up and get back to form." Thigh and calf injuries deprive Valencia of goalkeeper Renan Brito Soares and midfielder Edu for the two clubs' first meeting in continental competition.