Is David Beckham playing tonight?
No, Becks won’t be making his Champions League return. The 37-year-old midfielder, who agreed a move to Paris Saint-Germain on transfer deadline day, has reportedly travelled to Spain with his new team-mates but hasn’t been included in Carlo Ancelotti’s squad. If you’re counting down the days until the second coming — or is it the third or fourth coming? — you’ll have to wait a little while longer.
Ernesto’s European test
Valencia had already sealed qualification by the time Ernesto Valverde took over as manager in early December, so tonight represents his first real European test since replacing Mauricio Pellegrino. Their recent form has been excellent to move up to fifth in La Liga and, a 5-0 thumping by Real Madrid aside, they are unbeaten in their last seven in the league.
Fresh and in form
PSG haven’t lost since 1 December when they were beaten 2-1 at Nice. Since then their record in all competitions is Won 11 Drawn 1 For 30 Against 6, including a two-month run of eight successive clean sheets in Ligue 1. They could even afford to leave Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Blaise Matuidi for most of their 3-1 win against Bastia last weekend.
Zlatan’s dual threat
Only Chelsea, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich scored more than PSG (14) in the group stages so at first glance, two goals seems like a poor return for Zlatan. That’s not to say that the King of Sweden and Master of the Universe has been ineffective though; he has more assists (five) than anyone else in the competition so far. He has scored 21 times in the league as well, for what it’s worth.
Missing men
Valencia will be without their French internationals Aly Cissokho (ankle) and Jeremy Mathieu (Achilles). Ancelotti meanwhile must plan without Thiago Silva and Thiago Motta (both thigh).
