March is always an exciting month for Valencianos as the city gears up for its annual Fallas Festival. This year, however, residents have even more cause for celebration thanks to the resurgence of the city's top side, Valencia CF. Under the guidance of coach Quique Sanchez Flores, the club are  back among the frontrunners in La Liga  and in good shape heading into the second leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie with Inter Milan.

The injury crisis that had up to ten players laid up last November and December is now thankfully a thing of the past, although the poor run of form that coincided with these losses did see Valencia slump to ninth in the table. Since the turn of the year, however, the team has been gradually returning to full strength and moving back towards the top of the table. Not even the disappointment of a recent quarter-final defeat to Getafe in the Copa del Rey could dispel the feeling that the club is back on the march again.

The performances of the Chés in recent weeks have been particularly impressive, and none more so than their  2-1 win over Barcelona at the Mestalla  on 18 February. The result boded well for their tough Champions League Round-of-16 meeting with Serie A leaders Inter Milan, who came into the tie on the back of a record-breaking 17 straight league wins. As it transpired, the Spanish club refused to be cowed at the San Siro, twice coming from behind to secure  a priceless 2-2 draw  thanks to majestic strikes from David Villa and David Silva.

It was enough to start fans dreaming of European glory and the possibility of making amends for two painful defeats in the final of that competition at the beginning of the decade: a 3-0 reverse to compatriots Real Madrid in 2000, followed by an agonising penalty shoot-out loss to Bayern Munich twelve months later.

"Their first goal had us reeling but instead of buckling, we kept at it and found our range more in the second half," the coach said after the first leg in Milan, adding that he had warned his players "nothing had been decided yet". Indeed the dangers of complacency were underlined only last Sunday, when Sanchez Flores and his charges were left rueing the loss of two league points after allowing bottom-placed Gimnastic to snatch a stoppage-time equaliser .

Astute coach, talented squad
Much of the credit for the team's fine football must go to Sanchez, a former Real Madrid, Valencia and Zaragoza player who followed the well-worn path into coaching after hanging up his boots. After a season in charge of the reserve teams at Real Madrid, he then cut his managerial teeth as head coach of Getafe.

A nephew of legendary Spanish singer Lola Flores, Quique is a meticulous and demanding coach well known for his love of tactical analysis and unyielding approach to discipline. Since arriving at the Mestalla, the coach has assembled a side combining a perfect mix of youth and experience. Among the latter are veterans like goalkeeper Santiago Canizares, who has just extended his contract for a further two years at the age of 37, evergreen Argentinian defender Roberto Ayala and resurgent striker Fernando Morientes.

Equally impressive this season have been the youngsters. While Raul Albiol is emerging as a commanding presence in the Valencia rearguard, David Silva has been striking fear into opponents everywhere with his darting runs down the left flank, timely assists and audacious shooting. Then there is the remarkable progress of Jaime Gavilan, a former protégé of Sanchez Flores at Getafe. Unfortunately the midfielder's campaign has been interrupted by a serious knee-ligament injury which has put him out for the rest of the season.

Between them Villa and Morientes have scored more than half the team's goal tally (34) so far this season. Currently on ten goals apiece, both are among the top ten scorers in this season's championship. For his part, Villa has carried over the impressive form he showed for Spain at the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™, while  'Moro' appears to have put his disappointing spell at Liverpool behind him  and rediscovered the goal-scoring touch that made such a hit at Real Madrid and Monaco.  

Gain for Spain
The current Valencia side is also one of the most 'Spanish' clubs in La Liga. In fact, during the first leg in Milan, the starting XI contained only three non-native players - most unusual for a Primera Division side.

The plethora of Spanish players performing well for the club has not gone unnoticed by national team boss Luis Aragones, who opted for an all-Valencia attack of Silva, Villa, Morientes, Albelda and Angulo for La Seleccion's  recent friendly against England . On top of that, there is the emerging duo of Albiol and Gavilan, two regulars in the country's youth side and veterans of the team that lifted the UEFA European U-19 Championship in 2004.

And it is not only the Spanish national team that have been reaping the benefits of Valencia's return to form: Argentina also have reason to be thankful. Back to his best with the Chés is veteran centre-back Roberto Ayala, a mainstay of the Albiceleste defence since 1994. With a gold and silver Olympic medal to his name and the experience of three FIFA World Cups™, this tireless defender looks to be as fit as ever and at the top of his game once again.

No one could question the determination of this Valencia squad to achieve their footballing goals. Two years on from their last trophy, the team founded by current Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez and flourishing under a big fan of his, Sanchez Flores, are gunning for glory once again.