MADRID, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- The European futures of Atletico Madrid and Valencia both hang in the balance and will be decided over the next 48 hours in the Champions League.
Valencia travel to the Amsterdam Arena to face last season's beaten semifinalists, Ajax, who need a draw to assure they qualify for the last 16 from a tight Group H.
Valencia needs to match Chelsea's result at home to French side Lille, but given that Lille is the group's whipping boys, with just one point from five games, Valencia's players have to believe Chelsea will take all three points and they have to do the same.
The Spaniards travel in good form after winning local derbies against Villarreal and Levante in LaLiga and pushing Chelsea all the way in a thrilling 2-2 draw in the Mestalla Stadium in their last European game.
However, coach Albert Celedes will need an improvement on the performance in their first meeting with Ajax, who won 3-0 in Spain and he will be without the Uruguayan striker Maxi Gomez, who missed two big chances against Chelsea.
Gomez is out with a calf injury and Kevin Gameiro, who scored twice at the weekend, will partner Spain international Rodrigo Moreno in the attack.
Atletico Madrid should have an easier task in qualifying for the last 16 on Wednesday. Diego Simeone's side is second in Group B with seven points from five games and will make it to the knockout stages as long as they are able to match the result of third-placed Bayer Leverkusen.
Atletico is at home to the group's bottom team, Lokomotiv Moscow, while Bayer plays at home to Juventus, who are already assured their place in the next round as group winners.
The main issue for Atletico is their lack of goals in recent matches, with Friday's 0-0 draw away to Villarreal following 1-0 defeats to Barcelona and Juventus and a 1-1 draw in Granada and failure to score on Wednesday could see them condemned to the Europa League.
Real Madrid and Barcelona are also in midweek action, but both sides are likely to rest key players with Barca traveling to face Inter Milan as group winners, while Real Madrid has qualified, but can't finish above Paris Saint Germain in their group.
