Slavia out to break Valencia spell

SK Slavia Praha will look to end Valencia CF's seven-match unbeaten run against Czech opposition as they bid to launch themselves into UEFA Europa League Group B contention following a 1-1 draw at Mestalla last week.

Previous meetings
• The two sides met in the 1996/97 UEFA Cup, with Gabriel Moya scoring the only goal of the first leg in Prague for Luis Aragonés's Valencia. Slavia, coached by František Cipro, could not score in the return despite the dismissal of Valencia goalkeeper Andoni Zubizarreta four minutes into the second half.

• The teams for that meeting in Prague on 15 October 1996, when José Ignacio was dismissed after 86 minutes, were:-
Slavia: Stejskal, Lerch, Kozel, Kubík, Novotny, Lasota, Vágner, Vávra (Vácha, 71), Ulich, Ašanin, Horváth (Jindráček, 79).
Valencia: Zubizarreta, Otero, Poyatos, Mendieta, Fernando Gómez (José Ignacio, 61), Patxi Ferreira, Claudio López (Moya, 46), Karpin, Vlaović (Javi, 89), Enrique Romero, Engonga.

Match background
• Valencia are unbeaten over 90 minutes in their last 15 UEFA club competition games since a 2-0 loss at home to Rosenborg BK in the UEFA Champions League group stage on 6 November 2007. They are yet to taste defeat in 13 European outings under Unai Emery.

• Slavia have won only one of their last 22 European fixtures – a 3-0 home victory over FK Crvena Zvezda in this season's UEFA Europa League play-offs – with ten reverses and eleven draws in the remaining games. The win against Crvena Zvezda was their only home triumph in their last ten European games.

• Valencia have lost just one of their last 12 European away games.

• The visitors have never lost in seven games against Czech sides. Including the Matchday 3 result at the Mestalla, Valencia's record now reads three draws and four wins.

Team facts
• Slavia's 5-1 loss against LOSC Lille Métropole on Matchday 2 was their heaviest home defeat in UEFA club competition.

• Formerly a left-sided midfielder, Valencia coach Emery started his career with Real Sociedad de Fútbol but largely played in the lower divisions before a serious knee injury prompted a move into coaching at Lorca Deportiva CF in 2004. He graduated to a position at UD Almería in 2006, with Valencia taking him on as a replacement for Ronald Koeman in 2008.

• Karel Jarolím is in his second spell as Slavia coach, having represented the club in three separate stints as a player. His two sons also started their playing careers there, with David Jarolím the current captain at Hamburger SV while Lukáš Jarolím is now in Italy with AC Siena.

• Slavia's Vladimír Šmicer came on as a substitute against Valencia for Liverpool FC in the UEFA Champions League on 30 October 2002, with his side on their way to a 1-0 defeat at Anfield.

• Should Slavia score on Matchday 4, it would bring the total of goals conceded by Valencia in UEFA club competition to 200 from 209 games.

• Valencia host Lille on Matchday 5, with Slavia at home to Genoa CFC on the same day, 2 December.