Rafa Benitez was the coach changed the mentality of Valencia to turn it into a champion team with all the letters. After a process initiated by Claudio Ranieri (King’s Cup 1999) and brilliantly continued by Héctor Cúper (two Champions League finals 00 and 01)the Madrid coach took charge of the Mestalla bench, after having promoted to First to Tenerifelike a club risky bet. The Valencia had sold to good players in the last two summers -after the two Champions League finals that had put them in the showcase- but also had been successfully reinforced. That template had one mix of quality, experience, youth and ambition which became a perfect cocktail for the team to win the League in 2002title of which this May 5 marks the 20th anniversary, and which was repeated in 2004 with another championship and a UEFA Cup.
Benitez remember that first league not nostalgic but as a necessary exercise, as explained in the official club radioalso for learn from what was done well then: “There are people who question and criticize that this is remembered after 20 years, but they do not realize the reality. There are people who have nothing to remember. They don’t have titles or those experiences. We, fortunately, have them.. And we must convey to young people that yes, it is true that it was twenty years ago that time has passed, but it was achieved and that is the value it has. And now what you have to do is learn from everything that was done to see if it can be repeated I don’t say exactly the same, but approaching that kind of thing because you have the memory, the memory and you know how it is achieved,” he explained in a telephone connection from his home in England.
You have the memory, the memory and you know how it is achieved
Against the Madrid of the Galactics
Real Madrid had a great team and they had world-class players in all positions. We, what we did well was to be united. We had a very balanced team. The team was solid. It was growing during the season and I had more and more confidence. It was a team that could defend well, attack, counterattack and adapt to situations to get the most out of it. Players like Mista, Curro Torres or Vicente grew up in that team together with the Ayala, Pellegrino or Carboni, who were already consolidated.
superior to all
We inherited a good team with a good previous job from Héctor Cúper. We gave it one more twist to be a little more offensive and balanced. And the rivals we had were good. In addition to Real Madrid and Barcelona, there were also Deportivo, Villarreal and Atlético de Madrid. We were able to overcome them because many things were done well. A very compact and united team was created. Little by little, a great communion with the fans was created and Mestalla became strong. The circumstances of a team with a lot of confidence that was growing day by day were given. And, in the end, there were a few years in which the team maintained a very high level and it was a glorious time.
Mix of work and quality
It was a very hard-working team, but it also had quality. Angulo, for example, was a versatile player, but he had quality and took advantage of his conditions. Aimar was a very talented player who, surrounded by hard-working players, could perform much better. Baraja arrived better than anyone in the area. And, from then on, there were players like Vicente or Kily who were unbalanced. I think the team was very balanced. Everyone highlighted the couple Albelda – Baraja, which worked perfectly. But, on the right with Rufete and Angulo, or on the left with Kily and Vicente, we had an imbalance, back and forth, defensive work. Quality is not only technical quality. Quality is doing the right thing at the right time and we did it many times.
How would you define your Valencia?
I have always tried to ensure that all my teams have balance, which is what makes you competitive and has the chance to win titles and achieve goals. If I remember correctly, that team conceded far fewer goals than Real Madrid and, at the end of the season, we had scored just one less goal. On the day of Albacete, when I got really pissed off, if we had scored any more goals, we would have been the team with the highest scorers as well as the least scored. The team was balanced. He was capable of attacking with the wings, the band players, the striker or the midfielder. And, at the same time, defend with all of them to help Cañizares or Palop.
the moment to believe
In January I told several footballers that we were going to win the league. They thought he was crazy. But from that moment on, the team grew. The team arrived well from the outside, played well between the lines and was also dangerous with shots from distance.
Comeback in Mestalla
The game against Espanyol in Mestalla was a confirmation of a team that believes in itself. We stayed with 10 and we were able to come back. There was also a bonus of communion with the fans. Going back and being so close to the goal, as it was done, brought us very close to the people. That game was the culmination of a team that was growing and that put the cherry on the cake by winning the league.
If we are positive, we support our team, our players and we are all united, we are closer to achieving our goals
Increasing performance
The public, when in communion with the team, always gives you a plus. That the player knows. It is very important that the perception of the player in his stadium is positive, that they know that the public is going to help them. That year the support was growing and the players were performing more and more.
United to achieve the goals
The new generations must realize that sport has to help us, unite and serve to express ourselves. If we are positive, we support our team, our players and we are all united, we are closer to achieving our goals.
His return to Mestalla with Real Madrid
That moment was endearing. Arriving there, with Real Madrid, and having the public support you was a great satisfaction on a personal level. I am very grateful to all the Valencia CF fans, who have always been very good to me.
