The Champions League always offers a welcome and inspiring break from the humdrum of the league. That's especially the case when goals and points have been so hard to come by.
We're probably all in need of a pick-me up right now, and the most welcome return - other than a top player or two - would be that of the indomitable team spirit of recent years.
There were few better examples of the dynamic resolve of José Mourinho's all-conquering Chelsea sides than our most recent meeting with Valencia, in the quarter-finals of this tournament five months ago.
Missing key wide players Mourinho opted for a narrow-looking formation to exploit the gaps and block the passes between the Spaniards' two banks of four and to isolate their strikers David Villa and Fernando Morientes.
He didn't want the repetition of the freedom allowed to the likes of Joaquin and David Silva in the first leg at the Bridge, which had left the knockout tie balanced at 1-1.
Back in Spain Morientes, present at three previous Champions League heartbreaks for Chelsea with Monaco and Liverpool, opened the scoring just past the half-hour when Lassana Diarra slipped up.
It was a rare opening for the home side, who were stifled by the powerplay of the Chelsea team, particularly Michael Essien, returning from injury after six matches out and performing like three men.
With typical decisiveness Mourinho removed Diarra at half-time and put the Ghanaian to right-back: he was simply amazing that night.
After the Blues deservedly equalised through Andriy Shevchenko they piled forward for a winner. As the minutes ticked away Shevchenko set up an unlikely opening for Essien who steamed in from the wing and thumped a low shot past keeper Cañizares (a doubt for tonight's game) at his near post.
The noisy fans of Los Ché were almost in awe of the Chelsea performance and graciously applauded us off the pitch at the end. Their players weren't far off the same.
'They were playing away from home and this is a difficult place to do well,' said Morientes afterwards, 'but in the second half they kept the ball really well and we simply couldn't get near enough to their goal to create good chances. They are a very good side indeed.'
In fact Chelsea became the first English side to win at Mestalla, and it would surely be inconceivable that an evening back in April could be the last hurrah of the celebrated, record-breaking Chelsea machine. But it must be said there have been signs of sawdust in the works in the last month and nothing like the extraordinary team organisation of that night has looked in evidence since the Aston Villa match.
Of course, Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack and Ricardo Carvalho all featured in that famous win last season and their absences have been keenly felt this campaign. Who knows if one of them will be back again for this difficult trip to Spain?
What we can say is that Valencia themselves have had a mixed start to 2007/8 too.
Their league form of played six, lost one, won five belies several underwhelming performances, particularly against newly-promoted Almeria and Valladolid. They laboured to a 1-0 win over 10-man Recreativo de Huelva on Sunday evening, 24 hours after Chelsea had endured a disappointing goalless draw at home to Fulham.
Manager Quique Sánchez Flores has been under pressure to produce more from his set of players, and has been criticised, much like Rafael Benítez in England, for an excessively 'rotating' team selection. For the league match prior to last year's meeting, he rested seven first team players; Mourinho fielded a full strength side.
Flores's desire for solidity and consistency over entertainment is not finding favour locally. 'The coach and the supporters are no longer in love,' as a Spanish friend put it recently.
In Morientes, Villa and Silva they still have the flair to switch rapidly from constricting defence to sudden attack. It was such an instance that shocked Schalke in the previous round of matches. While Chelsea were struggling to a 1-1 draw against whipping boys Rosenborg, the Spanish put the Germans to the sword with Villa's 63rd-minute strike.
Beyond that, the visitors simply pressed over two-thirds of the pitch and stifled their hosts with great success. It was only as they tired and Schalke took more risks that the Germans created several late chances that they should have converted.
Naturally Valencia have viewed events at Stamford Bridge and the departure of a coach they feared and respected with some delight. Despite what they might reasonably view as a chance to 'have a go' and avenge last season's 1-2, it seems unlikely they will depart from their usual conservative approach, but will aim to snatch a goal or two against a midfield and defence that has been surprisingly porous in September.
Defeat for Chelsea at the hands of Los Ché could make it a very difficult task to qualify from the group stage - something we have never yet failed to do. John Terry is setting the right example by wanting to play even if it requires wearing a mask to protect his fractured cheekbone. And if ever there was a time for the machine to start grinding again, it is now.
VALENCIA V CHELSEA - Paul Dutton with the Europeann stats.
Chelsea and Valencia go into battle for only the second occasion in our history just five months after the first.
Chelsea's record in Spain
1965/66 Fairs Cup semi-final Barcelona L 0-2, play-off L 0-2
1994/95 Cup Winners' Cup semi-final Real Zaragoza L 0-3
1997/98 Cup Winners' Cup quarter-final Real Betis W 2-1
1998/99 Cup Winners' Cup semi-final Real Mallorca L 0-1
1999/00 Champions League quarter-final Barcelona L 1-5 aet
2004/05 Champions League Rd of 16 Barcelona L 1-2
2005/06 Champions League Group stage Real Betis L 0-1
2005/06 Champions League Rd of 16 Barcelona D 1-1
2006/07 Champions League Group stage Barcelona D 2-2
2006/07 Champions League quarter-final Valencia W 2-1
Valencia's last five years in Europe
2002/03 Champions League - quarter-finals
2003/04 UEFA Cup - winners
2004/05 UEFA Cup - round of 32 (having transferred from the Champions League, group stage)
2005/06 Intertoto Cup - finalists
2006/07 Champions League - quarter-finals
Valencia finished fourth last season, ten points behind champions Real Madrid. They have won La Liga six times the last in 2004 and the Spanish National Cup also on six occasions. Their European honours include the UEFA Cup in 2004, the Cup-Winners' Cup in 1980, the UEFA Super Cup in 1980 and 2004 and the Fairs Cup in 1962 and 1963.
They were Champions League finalists in successive years losing out 3-0 to Real Madrid in 2000 and Bayern Munich on penalties after a 1-1 draw in 2001.
Mestalla has a capacity of 50,583 all seated.
Valencia entered this season's Champions League at the third qualifying stage following their fourth place in La Liga last season.
Valencia's Champions League results this season
3rd qual 1st leg Elfsborg (h) W 3-0
3rd qual 2nd leg Elfsborg (a) W 2-1
Group B
Matchday 1 Schalke 04 (a) W 1-0
Team Cañizares, Miguel, Albiol, Helguera, Moretti, Angulo (Joaquin 75), Marchena, Albelda (c), Silva, Morientes (Arizmendi 80), Villa (Sunny 90). Scorer: Villa (63)
Junvetus coach Claudio Ranieri provides a link between our teams, as he was the predecessor for José Mourinho and Quique Sánchez Flores.
Valencia's European Cup/Champions League record is played 79, won 40, drawn 22, lost 17.
Valencia's La Liga results
Aug 26 Villarreal (h) L 0-3
Sep 2 UD Almeria (a) W 2-1
Sep 15 Real Valladolid (h) W 2-1
Sep 23 Real Betis (a) W 2-1
Sep 26 Getafe (h) W 2-1
Sep 30 Recreativo (a) W 1-0
Valencia travelled to southern Spain on Sunday to play Recreativo and registered their fifth successive league win and seventh in all competitions. David Villa scored the only goal. They lined up as follows: Hildebrand; Miguel, Helguera, Albiol, Moretti; Angulo, Marchena (Albelda 80), Baraja, Arizmendi (Joaquín 62); Silva, Villa (Morientes 82). The referee booked 10 including six from Valencia and sent off a player - and a coach - from Recreativo.
Valencia are third with 15 points from six games, equal on goal difference with second placed Villarreal and one point ahead of fourth placed Barcelona. Real Madrid top La Liga with 16 points.
Chelsea's overall record in European competition is played 131, won 70, drawn 33, lost 28. This is our 11th season in succession in Europe.
Chelsea have won three (Anderlecht, Levski Sofia and Valencia) and lost three (Liverpool, Real Betis and Werder Bremen) of our last 10 away Champions League games. The draws were against Liverpool, Barcelona twice and Porto.
This season is our sixth appearance in the Champions League. We have been semi-finalists in 2003/04, 2004/05 and 2006/07, quarter-finalists in 1999/2000 and the last 16 in 2005/06.
Chelsea have played 59 games in the Champions League proper (excluding qualifying games). We have won 29, drawn 16 and lost 14. Valencia's record is played 65, won 32, drawn 19, lost 14.
John Terry is due to become only our second player to reach 50 European games when he plays on Wednesday. Peter Osgood still is our record goalscorer in European competition with 16 followed by Lampard 13 and Didier Drogba and Tore André Flo on 12.
Paulo Ferreira, if selected, is due to make his 100th start for the club.
Ricardo Carvalho and Claudio Pizarro are both on 49 career Champions League appearances. Congratulations to Claudio who celebrates his 29th birthday on the day of the match.
UEFA club competition all time top scorers
Gerd Muller (Bayern Munich) 62, Filippo Inzaghi (Parma, Juventus, AC Milan) 60, Andriy Shevchenko (Dynamo Kiev, AC Milan, Chelsea) 60, Raul (Real Madrid) 59, Eusebio (Benfica) 56.
European Cup / UEFA Champions League all time top scorers
Raul (Real Madrid) 57, Andriy Shevchenko (Dynamo Kiev, AC Milan, Chelsea) 56, Ruud van Nistelrooy (PSV, Man Utd, Real Madrid) 54.
Chelsea old boy Asier Del Horno moved just before the transfer deadline from Valencia to his first club Athletic Bilbao on a season long loan.
The referee is 40-year-old Italian Roberto Rosetti, who was in charge when we beat Porto 2-1 in this competition earlier this year.
There are no suspensions for either side. Albelda, Marchena, Moretti (Valencia) and Essien are on one booking. Three yellow cards will result in a one-match ban. The domestic suspensions of Didier Drogba and John Mikel Obi do not apply in Europe.
LAST SEASON'S QUARTER-FINAL SECOND LEG
Valencia 1 Chelsea 2 (won 3-2 on aggregate)
UEFA Champions League, Tuesday April 10th 2007 at Mestalla Stadium, Valencia, Spain.
Valencia (4-4-2) Cañizares; Miguel, Ayala, Moretti, Del Horno; Joaquín, Albiol (Hugo Viana 71), Albelda (c), Silva; Villa, Morientes (Angulo 66).
Manager Quique Sánchez Flores.
Booked Del Horno, Albelda, Ayala, Moretti.
Scorer Morientes (31).
Chelsea (4-1-2-1-2): Cech; Diarra (J Cole h-t), Carvalho, Terry (c), A Cole; Mikel; Essien, Lampard (Makelele 90+1); Ballack; Shevchenko (Kalou 90+1), Drogba.
Manager José Mourinho.
Booked Essien, Ballack.
Scorers Shevchenko (51), Essien (90).
Referee Kyros Vassaras (Greece)
Crowd 47,280.
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