It is the third time Schalke have qualified for the group stages of the Champions League, though they are yet to progress into the knockout stages.

If they are to achieve that feat this time a win against Valencia will be vital with Group B fixtures against Chelsea and Rosenborg on the horizon.

"We are at home and have got to win," stated defender Marcelo Bordon.

Among 60,000 people in the stands will be coach Mirko Slomka, who is suspended for this match.

He has been punished by UEFA for protesting in Schalke's last venture into Europe at Nancy last September, but has "every faith" in his coaching team to deliver his orders on the bench.

Given their form in Germany, he has every reason to be confident.

A 1-1 draw at Bayern Munich on Saturday was further evidence of their strength.

On Tuesday, they will be without Levan Kobiashvili, who still has a groin problem and will now have to wait until Saturday before returning.

Mladen Krstajic and Gustavo Varela are also missing, but Slomka is convinced the team which played Bayern is strong enough for the task.

"After the 1-1 draw in Munich, we have a lot of self-confidence," he said.

Valencia defender Raul Albiol believes his side need to put their disappointing weekend performance against Real Valladolid behind them.

Although they beat Valladolid 2-1 at the Mestalla, Valencia were far from impressive and needed a last-minute deflected strike from David Silva to beat their recently-promoted opponents.

Such was the uninspired nature of the Valencia performance, they were jeered off at the end of the game by their own fans, who had seen their side lose 3-0 to local rivals Villarreal in their previous home match.

That was hardly the best preparation going into their opening Group B encounter against Schalke on Tuesday, but Albiol says the team have to look forward and not back.

"We have to forget about that and think only about the game which we have coming up," the centre-back said ahead of the trip to Gelsenkirchen.

"We go there with high hopes and with a lot of desire to start the tournament well.

"It is going to be very difficult. It is a nice ground to play at and we are starting the best competition in Europe, the Champions League, and we have the intention of having a great game and starting well.

"There are six (group) games and to start off on a winning note is important, even more so if you are away from home and this is what we have to do - be focused and win the game."

Valencia's Spain striker David Villa added: "It is a very important game, although I don't know if it will be critical or not because if we lose and then win the rest of the games, we will get through the first round."

Valencia coach Quique Sanchez Flores has named a 20-man squad for the trip to Germany, with Jaime Gavilan, Vicente Rodriguez, Edu, Nikola Zigic and Marco Caneira the players to miss out.