Failure not an option for Valencia

Mathew Ryan says owner Peter Lim has set Valencia an ambitious target of winning La Liga and the UEFA Champions League, leaving no room for failure in a play-off against Monaco on Wednesday night.

Los Che host the Principality side at Estadio Mestalla this week in the first leg of a crunch clash to determine which club progresses to the lucrative group stage of Europe's elite club competition.

Australia international goalkeeper Ryan is likely to start between the sticks in the absence of injured Brazilian shot-stopper Diego Alves.

And the 23-year-old will have a big responsibility on his shoulders as coach Nuno Espirito Santo looks to make those optimistic goals a reality.

"The club owners have said their objective was to win La Liga and the Champions League and are always putting in plans to achieve their aim," Ryan told SBS.

"Beating Monaco and qualifying for the UCL has been described as a 'must'.

"So that's our first big goal for the season."

Alves, capped eight times for Brazil, isn't expected to return to action until November, the 30-year-old having torn his anterior cruciate ligament in May.

That leaves Ryan with an opportunity to make the number one shirt his own during the early months of the campaign, starting with this week's showdown against Ligue 1 opposition. 

"Hopefully if I remain fit and in form I'll get the opportunity to face some of the best teams and players in the world," he said.

"You always want to play the big games against the big teams and the Champions League provides that opportunity.

"I hope we can do the job against Monaco and then show the rest of Europe what Valencia is capable of."

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