Champions League - Valencia 0 Manchester United 0

An efficient defensive display from Manchester United maintained a stalemate in Valencia with few chances for either side.

Heavy rain and wet conditions hardly helped the neat passing game of either side and surface water was a regular feature on the pitch when players went to ground.

Valencia did score in the 10th minute but Fabian Ayala was rightly ruled offside.

These two sides met in last season's competition and they are growing very familiar which showed in the this match as both struggled to find the moves that would see them hit the target.

United were more direct than the fancy flicks the Spanish team tried to use in their build up but neither side were able to fool defenders and the game next week at Old Trafford could prove just as tight.

Valencia surprised observers by including new record signing Pablo Aimar in their attack and his presence on the left wing aided Kily Gonzalez but the final pass often went awry with United's defence rarely troubled.

Kily shot wide from a cross by Ayala as early as the first minute and Ryan Giggs produced a clever run on the left in the 23rd minute to send the ball skidding across the face of goal but Amadeo Carboni was able to clear before David Beckham reached the chance.

Gaizka Mendieta was put clear by a wide pass from Aimar and he ran in on goal to floor Fabian Barthez with a dummy but he cut inside instead of shooting in the 30th minute allowing United defenders to pack the goal mouth and clear his low shot which came after several hesitations from the Spanish international.

United progressed in the second half with 56% of the possession and they had calm control of most of this match but Barthez did drop a cross at Aimar's feet in the 57th minute only to recover well and rescue the ball. Seconds later Aimar volleyed Kily into close range and the Argentine juggled the ball but fired his shot on the turn over the cross bar.