Valencia's Central African Republic-French midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia (R) celebrates after scoring during the Spanish league football match between Valencia CF and Club Atletico de Madrid at the Mestalla stadium in Valencia on Feb 14, 2020. (JOSE JORDAN / AFP)

MADRID - Valencia travel to Italy for the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie on Wednesday night.

The Spanish side faces Atalanta in the San Siro Stadium in the wake of an entertaining 2-2 draw at home to Atletico Madrid on Saturday night in which the side coached by Albert Celades improved on their recent form following a Copa del Rey defeat in Granada and a 3-0 thrashing to Getafe.

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Celades' main worries are in defense, where Ezequiel Garay is out for the season after suffering knee ligament damage, while Gabriel Paulista, who scored on Saturday, was forced off in the closing minutes of the game.

Valencia's Champions League form away from home has been impressive this season and they remain unbeaten on their travels

If Gabriel is unavailable that would leave Celades no option other than to pair Mouctar Diakhaby and Eliaquim Mangala in central defense, with Jose Luis Gaya at left back and Alessandro Florenzi on the right.

Francis Coquelin is also a doubt with a muscle problem, while Spain international Rodrigo Moreno is also not 100 percent sure to start. Neither of the duo trained with the Valencia squad on Monday and although they are likely to travel, at the moment neither is certain to play.

On a positive note, young winger Ferran Torres has been in exceptional form in recent weeks and his connection with Daniel Wass on the right will be vital, as will the power in the air of striker Maxi Gomez.

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Valencia's Champions League form away from home has been impressive this season and they remain unbeaten on their travels, with away wins against Chelsea and Ajax and a draw in Lille in the group stage.

The game, which will be refereed by the English official Michael Oliver, won't be played in Bergamo, but in the San Siro Stadium in Milan with the Italian side hoping to get more fans into the game. Valencia's away form should give them cause for hope, but Celades will certainly be worried about his central defenders.