Sporting no laughing Mata

Valencia midfielder Juan Mata has warned his team about complacency ahead of their La Liga clash with Sporting Gijon.

The third-placed La Liga outfit was held to a 1-1 draw at home to Schalke in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie on Tuesday, but resumes league duties against Sporting Gijon on Saturday.

Mata said it is vital the focus quickly returns to domestic competition as Valencia continues the fight to secure their Champions League spot for next season.

“We can’t underestimate Sporting, nor start a league game with a hangover from the Champions League,” the 22-year-old said.

“Sporting had a good game against Barcelona, they were intense and had a dangerous counter-attack against the league leaders. We have to be aware that we have to be in good form to beat them, because they have created problems for us in the Mestalla recently.”

Mata will return for Unai Emery’s side on Saturday from an ankle injury, and he said it was coincidental that his first game back would be against Gijon.

“I’ve been facing Sporting for four seasons, and I have been able to score against them at Mestalla and El Molinon. Some of my Sporting fans and friends have asked if I could keep on being injured for a little bit longer, but it is just coincidence that Sporting is my first game back,” he said.

“We treated my recovery as a long, relaxed operation, so that my ankle would be OK and so that I could come back for last Tuesday in order to play an important Champions League game. I am happy, because we did a good job.”

“There are still three league games ahead of us: against Sporting, Barcelona and Athletic. Later we will think about the second leg in Germany, but what the team has to focus on now is the league.”