VALENCIA. This is how Valencia performs after a preseason. The black and white team is facing a different and atypical scenario. With only eleven days to go to finish LaLiga, Celades’ pupils will start from scratch from a physical point of view. Almost two months without training and with a break similar to when the seasons are over and it’s time to get going again.
In fact, Valencia has already passed the analytical tests to verify that everything is in order together with the tests to detect COVID-19. Valencia must work on its set-up since it will have no margin of error when the competition returns if it wants to climb positions in the classification. The challenge is to cut four points with fourth place in the fight with Seville, Real Sociedad, Atlético and Getafe.
Since Peter Lim arrived at Valencia, the team has responded differently when it came to taking the pulse of the competition at the first change. Playing in the European competition has always made it difficult for the league to start and although it has now disappeared with the elimination against Atalanta, the needs of the calendar are going to force Valencia to perform equally playing two games per week.
Great start with Nuno, but with one game per week
Nuno’s Valencia start was frenetic in his first eleven games. Seven wins, three draws and one loss led the che box to take third place in the table and spot the lead just three points away.
Still, Valencia will face a different situation as they will have to compete twice a week instead of having seven days to face the next crash. In those first months, Valencia played days 4, 5 and 6 in one week and got 7 points out of nine possible.
Wins: 7 Draws: 3 Losses: 1
The second season with Nuno and the demand of the Champions
Elimination against AS Monaco: Valencia began the preseason with the mindset that everything was played from the beginning with the Champions League preview. He defeated the French 3-1 in the first leg, four days he premiered against Rayo in the League with a zero draw and managed to qualify on the return leg against AS Monaco with a 2-1 defeat thanks to a great goal by Negredo.
Already in the Champions League he took 3 points from six with a defeat against Zenit and victory against Lyon. The start in the League was below expectations and in seven games he made nine points. Nuno’s men were six points from fourth place.
Wins: 4 Draws: 3 Losses: 4
Ayestarán and Prandelli disaster
A disaster. This was the beginning of Pako Ayestarán’s Valencia CF despite not having a European competition. Four defeats in a row cost him the dismissal. Voro saved the furniture with two wins against Alavés and Leganés, although he could not with Atlético de Madrid. Prandelli took the witness with victory against Sporting de Gijón and chained another three defeats in a row. After the first eleven games, Valencia was on the verge of relegation with ten points.
Wins: 3 Draws: 1 Losses: 7
Fighting LaLiga in the first year with Marcelino, but without European competitions
Marcelino’s Valencia started the competition after completing the preseason as a shot. In fact, he remained undefeated in both the League and the Cup during his first eleven games. He beat Zaragoza 0-2 in the first leg of the Copa del Rey round of 32 and made up to 24 points out of 30 possible and was emerging as a possible candidate for the title. He was 4 points away from the leader and took 4 to the third.
Like Nuno’s first year, not competing in Europe allowed him to focus on the domestic championship. He had three games in one week on two occasions and solved them well. He made 7 of 9 on days 4, 5 and 6 and later beat Sevilla and Alavés with the first leg against Zaragoza in between, which also won 0-2.
Wins: 8 Draws: 3 Losses: 0
A difficult start when returning to the Champions League
It ended up being a season for history, but the beginnings raised many doubts. The problems with the goal credited Valencia de Marcelino to the draw. He got a point from six in the Champions League and he was fourteenth in the league with 10 points in nine games. In the end, the team demonstrated the talent it hoarded in its boots, a margin that it will not have to face these remaining eleven days.
Wins: 1 Draws: 8 Losses: 2
Close to the Champions League with Celades and victory against Chelsea
Valencia started with 4 points in three games until the departure of Marcelino. Celades took the helm and got an important one at Stamford Bridge. Instead, Ajax assaulted Mestalla 0-3. In the League, an irregular start by all those at the top allowed Valencia to stay in the fight, in the same situation as it is currently. In nine games, Valencia registered thirteen points and was only three out of fourth, although it was tenth. Now, the goal is to return in the best physical condition after this preseason to cut four points with the Champions places.
Wins: 4 Draws: 4 Losses: 3
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