Valencia will meet Atletico Madrid in an all-Spanish Europa League quarter-final. Valencia will host the first leg of the tie on April 1 with the return game at the Vicente Calderon a week later on April 8.
Valencia reached the quarter-finals after a thrilling 4-4 draw in Wolfsburg which took then through on the away goals after a 1-1 draw in the first leg at the Mestalla.
“We’re disappointed, as I imagine Atletico Madrid will be, that the two Spanish teams have to face each other in this round and that only one Spanish team will be in the semi-finals,” he said.
Valencia coach Unai Emery said: “It’s going to be a very even tie, which I feel is 50-50, similar to the one that we had against Werder Bremen.
“Atletico are showing they are a good team. We are going to have to work very hard to get through the tie. It’s a shame that two Spanish teams are facing each other in the quarter-finals, but it’s also true that it assures that one representative from our league will be in the semi-finals.”
Atletico entered the Europa League after failing to progress from the group phase of this year’s Champions League and they will be hoping for some European success after a disappointing campaign in the Primera Liga.
The winner of the Valenia v Atletico tie will face the winner of Liverpool v Benfica in the semi-finals.
Quarter-finals April 1:
Fulham v Wolfsburg
Hamburg v Standard Liege
Valencia v Atletico Madrid – Buy Valencia v Athletico Madrid Tickets
Benfica v Liverpool –
Quarter-finals April 8:
Wolfsburg v Fulham
Standard Liege v Hamburg
Atletico Madrid v Valencia – Buy Atletico Madrid v Valencia Tickets
Liverpool v Benfica
