La Liga most important for Valencia, says Emery

Valencia manager Unai Emery wants his team to quickly put their Champions League loss to Schalke behind them and focus on the league.

The third-placed La Liga outfit went down 3-1 to the Bundesliga club in Germany on Wednesday (4-2 on aggregate), exiting the Champions League at the round-of-16 stage, but Emery was quick to readjust the club’s focus on a top-four finish in the Spanish top flight when Valencia face the lowly Real Zaragoza on Saturday.

“After Wednesday’s game we are hurting. But we are aware that our route now is very clear. We want to return to the Champions League next season,” Emery said.

“The league is the way to get that, and we have never left it by the wayside. We are very consistent and have our objective set at returning to where we left off on Wednesday.”

Valencia’s trip to the Romareda will test their squad depth, with Emery confirming some of his players were worse for wear after their Champions League outing.

“We will look at the fitness of the players who played the other day, and also their mental state. We have to make ourselves prepared and up for the game, and ready to give 100 percent at the Romareda. This is the first step,” he said.

“We have to look for this from yesterday’s training session onwards. Some were recovering inside, whilst others had an outdoor session. Today we were all together and looking for those who were ready. This is the intense preparation for tomorrow’s game.”

Valencia striker Roberto Soldado is in his first season at the Mestalla, and Emery said the 25-year-old has the potential to develop into the mould of Barcelona striker and former Valencia player David Villa.

“Roberto Soldado has to grow as a player, and Valencia gives him that chance. He knows, because we’ve spoken about it,” Emery said.

“He is intelligent, and he can take on challenges. There are maybe parallels to when Villa came here. We don’t know yet, but maybe. But he has to work.”