Luis Enrique praises Gary Neville despite Valencia's struggle for form

Luis Enrique and Gary Neville faced each other as players for the only time in 1998, the former scoring an equaliser as Barcelona and Manchester United played out a 3-3 draw in the group stage of the Champions League.

On Wednesday, Enrique and Neville will face off again, but as managers in the semifinals of the Copa del Rey.

Barcelona is entering the first leg of the tie as the overwhelming favourite to progress given Valencia's struggles, but that didn't stop Enrique from praising Neville - winless in La Liga since his arrival on the Orange Blossom Coast - ahead of the fixture.

"You can already see what Neville has done with Valencia," Enrique said, according to PA Sport. "They are great at getting the ball into the area, and they have some quality players to move the ball up the field. The manager has made changes and we'll have to deal with hem.

"Valencia will create difficulties. They are a team that dares to generate pressure and they have some fine individuals. This wasn't an easy draw for either of us, but we're hoping to play well and set things up nicely for the second leg.

"After everything this club has done in recent years, it's only logical that they are saying we're the favourites," Enrique said. "But we have to prove that we're better on the pitch."

Valencia is winless through eight La Liga fixtures and only five points above the relegation zone.