The Valencia skipper must put his best foot forward to overturn a 4-1 deficit at the Mestalla against Atalanta...
Valencia have a mountain to climb against Atalanta in the return leg of the Round of 16 tie of the UEFA Champions League.
They were profligate in front of goal in the first leg at San Siro and now Albert Celades' troops have to make amends for their poor finishing at the Mestalla and that too without the vocal presence of their 12th man. And at such a critical juncture, they have more often than not fallen back on Dani Parejo, their skipper and midfield general.
If Los Che have to progress to the quarter-finals then It would require some amount of individual inspiration from this 30-year old playmaker.
Parejo has been in fine fettle in the last couple of weeks and against Alaves during the weekend, it was his direct free-kick that put Valencia ahead on the night. It was his 10th goal of this season and he is just one goal shy of his own personal best of 11 in a single campaign.
Moreover, with that strike from the free-kick, he equalled Mario Kempes' record of 13 set-piece goals for Valencia.
Atalanta must be tread carefully and not give away unnecessary free-kicks around the penalty box for the specialist to exploit.
Parejo is the chief orchestrator at the centre of the park and Celades will once again rely on the ball distribution skills of the La Fabrica graduate to keep his side ticking against the Champions League debutantes.
His partnership with Geoffrey Kondogbia will be absolutely crucial as the duo complement each other with their respective skill set. Kondogbia sits deep in front of his backline soaking up the pressure and breaking attacks, which allows Parejo to venture forward and provide the creative impetus.
Gian Piero Gasperini's side is known for their fearless and attacking brand of football irrespective of the situation and Parejo's presence in midfield would be vital to arrest the opposition's momentum and slow down the tempo of the match.
Gasperini prefers to go with a three-man backline which more often than not leaves space behind the defence. Therefore, Parejo's vision would be key to produce those through balls that would release the likes of Goncalo Guedes and Maxi Gomez.
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A daunting task lies ahead of Valencia and it is time for their experienced campaigner to step up now than ever before.
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Source : Football News, Live Scores, Results & Transfers | Goal.com
Valencia look up to Dani Parejo for inspiration against Atalanta
Valencia look up to Dani Parejo for inspiration against Atalanta
