Schalke Striker Raul Moved By Return To Spain To Take On Valencia

Schalke striker Raul says he is moved by his return to Spain for the first time since leaving Real Madrid, to take on Valencia.
Schalke striker Raul will be playing a match in Spain for the first time since leaving Real Madrid over the previous summer, and the 33-year-old says the game against Valencia will be a "memorable" one for him.

The hitman was not too keen to face a Spanish side in the knockout stage of the tournament, but believes the German side will play with a strong mentality and overcome Los Che.

"This is the first time I've been back in Spain since going to play in Germany so for that reason it's going to be a memorable game for me," Raul told UEFA.com in a pre-match press conference. "I received a very warm and affectionate welcome here. It was very much appreciated.

"This is going to be a Champions League game in which I really want to feature, against a great team like Valencia with great supporters.
"If you had asked me beforehand perhaps I would not have chosen a Spanish team at this point, especially when you consider that Madrid and Barcelona are among the favourites to win the tournament. Valencia are a very strong side and are currently playing at a very high level. They are third in their championship and full of confidence.

"With the backing of their supporters they will set a high tempo but we are confident we can do some damage. We know how to compete against them. What we need to do on Tuesday night is to go out mentally focused, full of concentration and looking to exploit our strengths while playing as a team," he added.