Historical ties will come to the fore when Nottingham Forest face Valencia in their final winter friendly on Friday night.
The two clubs have a proud association with each other from past meetings. And it is set to be another memorable occasion when they play at the Mestalla Stadium (6.30pm kick-off UK time), in what is the Reds’ final run-out before the season resumes.
The friendly forms part of Valencia’s celebrations to mark the centenary of their home ground. Forest are set to wear a special all-red kit for the game, just as they did when they became the first European side to visit the Mestalla and compete in an official match, in the Fairs Cup in 1961.
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Reds legends John McGovern, Garry Birtles and Ian Storey-Moore will be in attendance at the game. And they have been invited to join Valencia legends to mark the occasion.
Following on from their Fairs Cup tie, Valencia were guests at the City Ground for a special friendly to mark Forest’s centenary in 1965. The two sides also faced each other in the 1980 Super Cup.
Their most recent meeting was during the summer, when they played a pre-season friendly at Notts County’s Meadow Lane. Brennan Johnson scored for the Reds as it finished 1-1.
There is also a special exhibition at the ground, commemorating past meetings between the teams. The exhibition in the VIP Box opened on Wednesday and features memorabilia and photographs from previous meetings. It can be viewed by fans who take the Mestalla Forever Tour.
Steve Cooper’s men have already played Stoke City, Atromitos and Olympiacos as part of their preparations for the restart of competitive action. Their first game back after the World Cup break is a Carabao Cup tie against Blackburn Rovers next Wednesday.
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