Lucho, Morientes Shocker and the Fixtures List

By: Cesar | July 13th, 2007

Let me begin by not ranting and raving too much at the inadequacies of my favorite team. True, I wear the escudo (shield) close to my heart. But what good will it do me to get so anxious over their lack of moves?

We did get some quality over the summer (Alexis, Hildebrand) and we got some good, young talent in the wings (Sunny, Mata). So I’ll try and be a good boy today, ok?

There’s some news from our friends at Paterna these past few days. First off, the 2007-08 fixtures are out! Here’s a complete list (Games in bold are games I want to go to … someone buy me a ticket?? Looks like Oct. 21-31 would be my best time to go. Comments included.):

26/08/2007
VALENCIA VILLARREAL (opening with a derby against our state rivals. And Ayala says hello and goodbye rather quickly)

02/09/2007
ALMERIA VALENCIA

16/09/2007
VALENCIA VALLADOLID

23/09/2007
REAL BETIS VALENCIA

26/09/2007
VALENCIA GETAFE

30/09/2007
RECREATIVO VALENCIA

07/10/2007
VALENCIA ESPANYOL

21/10/2007
DEPORTIVO VALENCIA (Always a fun rivalry)

28/10/2007
SEVILLA VALENCIA

31/10/2007
VALENCIA REAL MADRID (Halloween at the Mestalla. Should be fun. Tough Sevilla game followed by the champions. And it’s a midweek game.)

04/11/2007
MALLORCA VALENCIA

11/11/2007
VALENCIA MURCIA

25/11/2007
RACING VALENCIA

02/12/2007
VALENCIA ATHLETIC

09/12/2007
OSASUNA VALENCIA

16/12/2007
VALENCIA BARCELONA (We’re getting the strong teams at home the first half of the season. Is this good or bad?)

23/12/2007
REAL ZARAGOZA VALENCIA

06/01/2008
VALENCIA LEVANTE (City derby is our first game of 2008)

13/01/2008
ATLETICO MADRID VALENCIA (A strong Atletico side rounds out the first half of the season)

20/01/2008
VILLARREAL VALENCIA

27/01/2008
VALENCIA ALMERIA

03/02/2008
VALLADOLID VALENCIA

10/02/2008
VALENCIA REAL BETIS

17/02/2008
GETAFE VALENCIA

24/02/2008
VALENCIA RECREATIVO

02/03/2008
ESPANYOL VALENCIA (I like these guys. They showed heart in the UEFA Cup Final. Barcelona’s always a fun city to visit)

09/03/2008
VALENCIA DEPORTIVO

16/03/2008
VALENCIA SEVILLA (Good game during Las Fallas)

23/03/2008
REAL MADRID VALENCIA (Only been to the Bernabeu once but it’s a beauty.)

30/03/2008
VALENCIA MALLORCA

06/04/2008
MURCIA VALENCIA

13/04/2008
VALENCIA RACING

20/04/2008
ATHLETIC VALENCIA

27/04/2008
VALENCIA OSASUNA

04/05/2008
BARCELONA VALENCIA (Barcelona is late spring? Can’t go wrong)

07/05/2008
VALENCIA REAL ZARAGOZA

11/05/2008
LEVANTE VALENCIA (Derby right down the road from the Mestalla)

18/05/2008
VALENCIA ATLETICO MADRID (A hard way to end the season. Hopefully we’ll be champions by then.)

On top of these games are the Champions League fixtures they’ll presumably be playing in. A tough schedule but the only surprise is the way it’s ordered. The annoying thing is the midweek games to accomodate the preparation for Euro 2008 in Austria next summer.

Go on, lads!!

Tidbits:
- Galatasaray of Turkey say they have an agreement with striker Fernando Morientes to go there. They’re offering 5 million euro for him. This is news to me … I thought he was happy here. Maybe the incidences at Paterna a month ago affected him more than we know? I’ll believe this when it becomes official … until then, it’s shelved here.

- 25 million Euros is too much for Lucho. Sporting director Miguel Ángel Ruiz said so and also said we’re in no hurry to bring in new players, as the season is a month and a half away. Ok, fair enough. (I said I’d be good, right?)

- Hugo Viana to Osasuna, Mario Regueiro to Real Murcia. Good luck and see you guys later …

- David Beckham is introduced today as a player for the Los Angeles Galaxy of the MLS here in the United States. Maybe football (soccer as we call it here) can finally break through and become a popular sport in this country? I don’t know but it’s nice to see the sport getting some press.

- If you have a chance, read my ongoing travels on the road to the 2010 World Cup Finals in South Africa at my sister blog, Road to 2010 Final. It’s mostly about African football, but as time goes on and I make my way out to Africa, it’ll morph and change some.

- Penya update: I located a penya in the United States. It’s called ‘EL FLAMINGO BLANQUINEGRE’ and they’re based in Miami Beach, Florida. They’re the only penya in the United States from what I know. Hopefully I can join them with ‘NEW YORK CHE’.
If anyone knows someone there and can put me in contact with them, please let me know. Thanks!!