Valencia 'don't need a miracle to progress' against Atalanta, says manager Albert Celades

Hans Hateboer scored twice as Atalanta thrashed Valencia 4-1 in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tieBBC coverage

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Valencia will look to overhaul a 4-1 deficit against Atalanta as the second leg of their last-16 tie at Mestalla Stadium is played behind closed doors because of the coronavirus outbreak.

The hosts will be without striker Maxi Gomez (broken foot) and defender Ezequiel Garay (knee) on Tuesday.

Defender Gabriel Paulista also remains suspended for the La Liga side.

For Serie A outfit Atalanta, Brazil defender Rafael Toloi is a doubt for the match with a muscular problem.

Valencia and Atalanta to play behind closed doors All Italian sport to be be played behind closed doors

The decision to play the match in an empty stadium comes after Spain's health ministry announced it wants to avoid "large gatherings of fans" in an effort to contain the spread of coronavirus.

With no home support, Albert Celades' side face a huge challenge to progress to a first Champions League quarter-final since 2007, with just four of 36 sides ever overcoming a first-leg deficit of three or more goals.

Fresh from a 7-2 league victory over Lecce on 1 March - their subsequent games postponed because of coronavirus - Atalanta stand 90 minutes from a first appearance in the final eight of Europe's elite club competition, after Hans Hateboer's double helped them establish a commanding lead three weeks ago.

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Valencia coach Albert Celades: "We'll prepare for the game as well as we can. We're strong at home and the result from the first leg isn't a fair reflection of what happened in the game.

"I don't think we need a miracle to progress - not at all."

Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini: "Of course, the first leg result will boost our confidence. We need to score at Valencia, as well as stay focused and defend well though.

"A psychological aspect of our game that we are working on is to maintain a good performance because we seem to get comfortable and assume the job is done when it really is not. The team were great in the first leg, but I will not celebrate until the second leg is over."

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Valencia have never faced Atalanta at home in Europe - but they did lose their last home Champions League game against an Italian side - beaten 2-0 by Juventus in September 2018. Valencia are winless in nine Champions League knockout stage matches and have failed to score three goals in a knockout game since beating Leeds United 3-0 in May 2001. Atalanta's 4-1 win over Valencia in the first leg of the tie was just the second time they have scored four times in a European knockout match. The Italian side are the third team to score four goals in their first ever Champions League knockout game, after Manchester United and opponents Valencia. Should they reach the quarter-final, Atalanta would become the first Champions League debutants to do so since Leicester City in 2016-17. Atalanta's 12 Champions League goals have been scored by 10 different players of nine different nationalities.

Source: bbc.com