Champions League
Feb 12, 2013 7.45pm
1
2
HT : 1 2
FT
  • Adil Rami 0' goal
  • goal Ezequiel Lavezzi 0'
  • goal Javier Pastore 0'

Ernesto Valverde: 'Valencia must stop Zlatan Ibrahimovic'

Valverde wary of Ibrahimovic threat

Valencia coach Ernesto Valverde has admitted that his team need to keep Zlatan Ibrahimovic under check when they face Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.

The Spaniard believes that his players must defend as a team against the Swedish striker in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie at the Mestalla.

"Thiago Motta and Thiago Silva are important absentees for PSG," he told reporters. "Motta knows the Spanish league very well and Silva is world class.

"Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a great player and we have to take him into account, not just Adil Rami but the whole defence.

"He does incredible things and he's a good scorer; he comes down to defend if the team needs him. This isn't just a job for Rami, but for the whole team."

Valencia will head into the game on the back of a 1-0 away win against Celta Vigo in La Liga on Saturday.

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