Valencia beat Lille 2-0 in the Mestalla in the Champions League on Tuesday night to grab their first points of the Group Stage, thanks to two goals from Brazil forward Jonas.
Jonas, 28, had endured a slow start to the 2012-13 season in front of goal, but picked-up two potentially crucial goals to down their Ligue 1 opponents and move to second in the group, level with Bayern on three points.
“Our ultimate objective is to ensure we are in the last 16 of this competition next year so it was absolutely vital that we took these three home points,” Jonas told reporters. “We just need to continue with this kind of performance and result.
“In the first half-hour we weren’t getting space, but as that changed, and we were both mobile and ambitious, the opening goal arrived. That allowed us to relax into our play a little bit in the second half.
“Now we face back-to-back matches against BATE and they’ll be very important. In fact, they may decide our destiny in this competition. We have to take points from both contests if we are to meet our goal of getting through the group stage.”
BATE, who beat Lille in France on the opening matchday, also secured victory over Bayern on Tuesday and head Group F on six points.
In their next fixture, Valencia take on the Belarussians in Minsk on October 23, knowing that defeat would be potentially fatal for their hopes of progression.
