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Valencia v Betis Sevilla: Preview
PA
New coach Antonio Lopez has promised he will give everything to ensure Valencia's disappointing season ends on a high after replacing Claudio Ranieri in the Mestalla hot seat - and his mission starts against Real Betis.
Defeat for the UEFA Cup holders on penalties against Steaua Bucharest in the round of 32 proved to be the final straw for the Valencia board, who had not seen the reigning Primera Liga champions win in six matches.
President Juan Soler removed Ranieri from the manager's post on Friday and announced that Lopez, ex-boss Rafa Benitez's former assistant, would be the new man at the helm.
After a slow start to the campaign, Ranieri appeared to have turned the corner in the run up to Christmas, sitting comfortably in second place and biting hard at the heels of leaders Barcelona.
Indeed they put in a strong performance at the Nou Camp and were unlucky not to come away with a win, a debatable penalty for Ronaldinho giving Barca a share of the spoils.
But 2005 has been a different story.
Valencia have not won since the local derby with Levante on January 8 and the weight of expectation and a lack of coherence in team selections and strategy proved Ranieri's undoing.
"The results and the trajectory in recent weeks were not good enough and we have been moving away from the objectives which we set ourselves," said Soler.
Lopez, meanwhile, is delighted just to have the chance to coach one of Spain's top clubs even if, for the time being, it is only until the end of the season.
"This is the opportunity of a lifetime," he said. "It is a dream to train a team of this level. I am in charge of a club I know well and love, having been here for three years.
"I will work, be dedicated and there will be no shortage of effort.
"We will aim to reduce the margin of error to a minimum. I want to talk about work and sacrifice.
"These are now more or less the same players as when I was here and I know a lot about the team.
"It does not matter to me that at the moment we are not in a position to qualify for the Champions League as this is something that we can achieve," he added.
Asked about what system he would employ, Lopez said: "I want the team to attack as well as defend well. I want them to be able to do the two things.
"Each trainer has their own ideas and I plan to change things because I know the players well. The players have received me with open arms and with the aim of progressing forward.
"It is important now to keep the confidence of the players up and we need to talk about the feeling of belonging to a group as well as the football because this is the key."
High-flying Betis travel to the Mestalla on the back of a six-match unbeaten run but coach Lorenzo Serra Ferrer has doubts over Ricardo Oliveira, Edu, Fernando Fernandez and Alfonso Perez, meaning Rafael Cabello has been drafted into the squad as cover.
Valencia vs.
Betis
