Europa League: Pablo Hernandez and Wayne Routledge injury doubts

Pablo Hernandez

Swansea City manager Michael Laudrup says Pablo Hernandez and Wayne Routledge are injury doubts for the Europa League clash against Valencia.

Swansea face the Spanish side in their penultimate game of Group A on Thursday.

Midfielder Hernandez has missed the last three Europa games with a thigh injury and Routledge is struggling with a calf strain.

"Maybe it is a bit early, but Pablo is a possibility," said Laudrup.

"Pablo trained the last couple of days with us, so let us see. Wayne will train a bit today [Wednesday] and we will have to see."

Hernandez, a former Valencia player, missed the first game between the sides in September when the Swans won 3-0 in Spain.

The Spaniard has played just 29 minutes since 1 September because of a thigh muscle injury.

Striker Michu (ankle) and defender Garry Monk (knee) are also sidelined for the Swans, who are unbeaten in Group A.

Victory for the Welsh side against Valencia will send them into the knockout stages of the competition.

Valencia are on a three-match winning streak and are already assured of their place in the next round and win in Swansea would see them crowned group winners.

Swansea may not need maximum points to seal their progression as a draw between Kuban Krasnodar and St Gallen in the group's other fixture would send them through regardless.

Laudrup has seen his side's Europa League campaign stall in their two recent games with back to back draws against Kuban Krasnodar.

"Before this competition started, if you had said going into the fifth game, at home, we could decide it for ourselves, we would have taken it," said Laudrup.

"We are in a very good position and we just have to finish it.

"We want to win this game and be top of the Group, but most important is to move in to the knockout stage."

Swansea humbled the Spanish giants the first time the two sides met, when the hosts had defender Adil Rami was sent off for a ninth-minute professional foul on Wilfried Bony.

Laudrup expects Valencia, who have already qualified for the next stage of the tournament, to be a very different one which lost to his side.

"When we played Valencia in the Mestalla it was very special circumstances after three defeats," said Laudrup.

"It was special, with all the surroundings, but they came back on track after we played them, winning three or four games.

"They have lost recently, but it is different because they have already qualified and don't have to think about this competition until February."