Two clubs chasing UEFA Europa League glory will do battle today in a cup match between FC Basel and Valencia. The quarterfinal clash scheduled for 3:05 p.m. ET will be held at St. Jakob-Park in Basel and can be live streamed here.
After suffering a 3-1 defeat in league competition to Getafe this weekend, manager Juan Antonio Pizzi didn't blame the impending Europa League encounter with FC Basel. Instead, the club boss pointed at a lack of creativity (h/t Football Espana). "We had intensity and effort but we didn't rise to the challenge," Pizzi said at his post-match Press conference. "It's difficult for us to get into Europe now because the reality is we're in a worse position than last week," he added.
"We lacked creativity in the first-half, lost our balance for several minutes and conceded two goals."
"We took the initiative in the second-half but didn't convert our chances, and the posts and the goalkeeper prevented us getting a draw. We've been unable to maintain our consistency or take advantage of our opportunities. That's our issue."
Will Valencia have more issues when they visit FC Basel this afternoon? Tell us @SportsWN
Tactical Preview
Player to Watch: Sevilla's Fede has made the most of his modest appearances in the UEFA Europa League. The 21-year-old Argentine has three goals and an assist en route to completing 83.5 percent of his passes.
FC Basel's Projected Lineup (3-4-3): Sommer; Sauro, Ajeti, Aliji; Safari, Frei, Elneny, Degen; Die, Sio, Stocker
Valencia's Projected Lineup (4-2-3-1): Guaita; Bernat; Mathieu, Senderos, Pereira; Fuego, Keita; Fede, Jonas, Michel; Alcacer
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