Valencia coach expects tough top-4 fight
Print Edition
THE battle between Atletico Madrid, Valencia and Sevilla for a lucrative Champions League berth will go down to the wire, Valencia coach Nuno predicted yesterday as his side prepared for today’s La Liga match at Athletic Bilbao.
Leader Barcelona and second-placed Real Madrid look destined to finish in the top two places, making it likely Atletico, Valencia and Sevilla will fight it out for Spain’s third automatic spot in Europe’s elite club competition, as well as fourth, which carries a place in Champions League qualifying.
Champion Atletico is currently in third on 65 points with eight games left, four points ahead of Valencia and Sevilla, with Nuno’s side having played one game fewer and holding on to fourth due to a better head-to-head record over the Andalusians.
Barcelona and Real were playing yesterday, with Barcelona on 71 points to Real’s 67.
“This season more than 70 points are going to be needed to finish in the top four,” Nuno told a news conference previewing the match at Bilbao’s San Mames stadium.
“We are three teams who are fighting for that (Champions League) place and it is going to be a tough battle,” added the Portuguese, who has had a successful first season after taking over from the sacked Juan Antonio Pizzi.
“We have to do our job, keep playing the same way because we know that it will be a fight to the finish for a difficult goal. We are motivated, we are on track and working well.”
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