European Football Preview: Moment of truth for Valencia

Super Sunday in Spain

A measure of how serious Ernesto Valverde is taking Sunday's top of the table clash with Valencia at Mestalla was to be found in his decision to leave Lionel Messi out of Barcelona's starting line-up against Juventus on Wednesday night.

Barcelona needed a draw to qualify for the knock-out stages and that's what they got in Turin, obtaining the maximum with the bare minimum while also maintaining the impressive solidity that has characterised their season under Valverde.

Barca have conceded just four times this season although Sunday's game will be a big test of their resolve. Gerard Pique is suspended which will encourage Valencia even if goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen and Samuel Umtiti have been outstanding so far.

Madrid fans will no doubt be supporting Valencia in the hope they can rein in Barca and shorten the table. Many increasingly believe Los Che are for real, particularly after last weekend's win away at Espanyol.

Valencia rode their luck at times before coming away with maximum points, the mark of a champion in the making. Their depth has been questioned at times this season, but Simone Zaza, Goncalo Guedes and Carlos Soler all started that game on the bench.

Able to concentrate on the league in the absence of European football, Valencia can rest, recuperate and maybe sustain this unexpected title challenge. They've had all week to prepare for this game and ex-Valencia and Barcelona striker David Villa is sure the crowd at Mestalla and the atmosphere they create will be to the advantage of Los Che.

Barca are still unbeaten and their results have impressed up until now. Their performances less so and there is a sense they still need to make a statement on the road in La Liga. They won 3-2 here last season via a last minute penalty from Messi.

It promises to be tight again. Take Valencia on Double Chance @ 2.06.

Monaco and El Matador

L'Équipe did not take Monaco's exit from the Champions League well. France's biggest sports paper called it an "unbelievable fiasco" and said the Ligue 1 champions waved a "pathetic goodbye" to the tournament they took by storm last season.

On the one hand, you can see their point. For all the change at Monaco over the summer, they reinvested more than €100m into the team and could be expected to qualify in a group featuring RB Leipzig, Besiktas and Porto. The fact they won't even drop into the Europa League is a big disappointment.

On the other hand, though, Leonardo Jardim made a lot of sense when asked to explain the "debacle." This is the cycle at Monaco. In 2015 they surprised many by reaching the quarter-finals only to see the team get broken up at the end of the season. The following year Monaco didn't even make the group stages, losing in the play-offs to Valencia. After last year's run to the semi-finals, Bernard Mendy, Kylian Mbappe and Bernardo Silva all left and they're now in transition again.

Even so, the reaction to Tuesday's defeat to RB Leipzig at the Stade Louis II was not completely overblown. It was a shock to see Monaco 4-1 down at half-time in front of their own fans. The defending was appalling which doesn't bode well for PSG's visit on Sunday. PSG look irresistible at the moment.

They've already scored five or more goals on seven occasions this season and while all eyes will be on Mbappe as he returns to the Principality, it's worth taking a moment to appreciate Edinson Cavani and the impact he continues to have on this team. The Uruguayan has scored 70 goals since the start of last season, the same number as Lionel Messi.

Overshadowed by Zlatan in his first couple of years in the French capital, the focus on Neymar often distracts from Cavani's consistent brilliance. The 30-year-old has bagged a brace seven times this season. His last three appearances have ended with one too. Reason enough to back him to score another double this weekend @ 5/2 on the Sportsbook.

Dortmund in the doldrums

A banner appeared in the Sudtribune at Signal Iduna Park as Dortmund played Spurs on Tuesday. "Doesn't matter what happened yesterday." It said. "Doesn't matter what happens today. Saturday is what counts."

If the Revier derby goes badly for manager Peter Bosz, it might be time for Dortmund to find a new boss. Without a win in five games in all competitions, Dortmund's only point in that time came against APOEL at home. Defeats to newly promoted clubs Hannover and Stuttgart have also caused embarrassment with Dortmund slipping from first to fifth in the Bundesliga.

Rivals Schalke have overtaken them and, unbeaten since the end of September, the Miners are now up into second. Domenico Tedesco's side have a solidity Bosz must envy. Leon Goretzka gives Schalke a touch of class while Max Meyer's conversion to a No.6 role has been an inspired move by the 32-year-old Tedesco.

Still, Schalke have ground out results rather than grooved to them. Their football hasn't always been pretty but the fans aren't too bothered as long as the team is flying high in the table. A win at Dortmund wouldn't come as a big surprise.

RB Leipzig and Bayern have won at the Westfalenstadion this season and Schalke look an appetising pick @ 4.50 to take the spoils.