Pulis eyeing Valencia upset
Tony Pulis is looking forward to one of the biggest nights in Stoke’s history when Valencia visit the Britannia Stadium on Thursday evening.
The Spanish giants, who sit third in the Primera Division, arrived in the Potteries on Wednesday ahead of the first leg of their Europa League last-32 clash.
Stoke have exceeded expectations so far in their first European campaign for 37 years, losing only once in 10 games and qualifying from a group containing Besiktas, Dynamo Kyiv and Maccabi Tel Aviv.
But Pulis knows Valencia will present another step up and has called on the club’s supporters to play their part as the Potters look to preserve their unbeaten home record in the competition.
He said: “I’m excited. It’s one of the great games this football club has had in its history.
“Next year it’s 150 years this club has been going and we haven’t had too many occasions when you can say you’re playing a top, top European team at the Britannia.
“And it’s not just the game here, there’s a lot of supporters who can’t wait to go out for the game in Spain as well and experience the atmosphere out there, which is supposed to be absolutely fantastic. It’s just fantastic for the city.
“The games we’ve had at our place on the Thursday nights, the atmosphere has been fantastic, and what we’ve done so far, you can double that on Thursday night, because they will know we’re up against it, and they’re at their best when we’re the underdogs.”
Stoke will also be hoping to turn their form around after a run of four Barclays Premier League defeats in a row, which has seen them drop from the fringes of the European battle to 13th.
Pulis is convinced his side can cause an upset tomorrow night, and he said: “It’s a big game, but it’s a game and the end result is the most important thing.
“We have to go out there and not be overawed by anything, just play the way we can play and, if we can get our forwards playing well, then I think we’ll cause them a lot of problems, I really do.”
Pulis has been impressed with the job done at the Mestalla by his opposite number Unai Emery, who has kept Valencia snapping at the heels of Real Madrid and Barcelona despite financial constraints that have forced him to sell the likes of David Silva and Juan Mata.
Pulis, who watched the Spaniards beat Sporting Gijon 4-0 on Sunday, said: “They’re a fantastic team.
“Sometimes you go and watch a game of football and you can’t see an identity with the team but he’s a young coach and he’s got the team very well organised both off the ball and in possession, and they impress you.
“He’s had to sell some of his best players and he’s put together a very exciting team, they’ve got some terrific players and it’ll be a great game for our supporters.”
Pulis, meanwhile, hit out at the Football Association for scheduling Stoke’s FA Cup fifth-round tie against Crawley at midday on Sunday.
The Welshman can understand why some managers put out weakened teams for cup competitions, and feels the governing bodies are not helping their cause.
He added: “The Premier League is the goose that’s laying the golden egg and if the cup competitions want to be held in higher esteem then put them in slots where you have time to prepare for them, to pick your best team and move on to the next game without any worries.
“Sometimes the powers that be moan and groan that people are not putting their best teams out then they put a fixture list together that is quite extraordinary.”
Pulis will be without Matthew Upson following his sending-off in the last group game against Besiktas but can pick fellow centre-back Robert Huth, who is serving a three-match domestic suspension.
Jonathan Woodgate and Danny Collins, who were left out of the squad for the first part of the European campaign, are now eligible while Asmir Begovic is expected to replace Thomas Sorensen in goal.