Valencia coach Unai Emery has refuted suggestions his side are dead-on favourites to land third place in La Liga this season.

Submarine rising; Valencia draws blank

With Real Madrid and Barcelona both set to fight it out for the title again this season, Valencia is currently in pole position to lock down third and a place in the UEFA Champions League next season.

Emery's side played out a goalless draw with Atletico Madrid on Sunday and now sit five points clear of fourth-placed Levante.

"Atletico came into this match on the back of a very positive run," Emery told reporters after the game.

"They wanted to get into the Champions League places and that was a big motivation for us.

"We are not putting the league to one side and it was very important not to lose today.

"We had a very serious match and I am satisfied, although our goal is always to get the three points.

"The third place is not assured. It will not be easy. No one will give us the third place just like that."

Atletico remain seven points behind Valencia in the race for third with 21 rounds played in the current La Liga season.

Sunday's scoreless draw at the Vicente Calderon means Atletico are yet to concede a goal since Diego Simeone took charge last month.

Prior to the weekend, the Argentinian had steered Atletico to three straight wins.