Make or Break

By: Cesar | May 22nd, 2009

So here we meet again, another life or death battle for Valencia CF’s future, a weekly war for survival.

This week, it’s state rivals Villarreal, who lie in 6th place, tied with Our Beloved on points at 59.

Atletico Madrid sit 4th, with 61 points. They play Athletic Bilbao this weekend and save a Kun Aguero dive, would be somewhat lower. So be it. They’re where they are, we’re where we are and let the chips fall where they may.

Tomorrow’s battle is very simple: Valencia need the 3 points to continue hoping for Champions League football next season.

Not a draw and one point. Not a loss and 0 points.

A win. Three points. That’s it.

If we drop points against the Yellow Submarine, we all know what the future could hold. We don’t need to repeat ourselves, for we’ve been discussing it all season.

Right now, the focus is on getting the victory and heading into our last match against Athletic Bilbao at the Mestalla, focused on taking care of our end of business.

The Champions League is out of our hands. We don’t control our destiny, thanks to last week’s sucker punch against Atletico. We need to hope and pray Athletic come off the mat for their match and defeat Atletico. We have to hope that if Athletic doesn’t do the business, Almeria does it next weekend.

No maletins this year, the strange Spanish phenomenon of sending briefcases of money to football clubs in hope of luring them to play better. We don’t have any money.

Right now, it’s about concentrating on taking care of our end of the bargain.

Defeat Villarreal. Nothing more. Nothing else.

Villarreal are a tough out. We all know that. We played them in what many consider the match of the La Liga season in the first go-round, New Jersey’s Giuseppe Rossi scoring a penalty in the dying embers of the match to close the scoring at 3-3.

The Yellow Submarine made it to the quarterfinals of this season’s Champions league before succumbing to Arsenal. We know they’re talented. We get that.

Unfortunately for them, midfielder Santi Cazorla is out with a broken leg. Now word that influential holding midfielder Marcos Senna is battling a thigh injury.

Still, with players like Rossi and striker Joseba Llorente up front, Villarreal aren’t lacking in the scoring department.

As far as Our Beloved, Vicente is a doubt as is Joaquin after a scare during this morning’s training session.

Carlos Marchena will be back from suspension, so that’s a welcome relief. Yes, I just typed those words: Having Carlos Marchena back will be a welcome relief.

Besides him and save an injured David Silva, we’ll have the full artillery. David Villa, Juan Mata, Pablo Hernandez, etc. You name it, we’ll throw it at Villarreal.

Over 2,000 of our most fervent supporters are making their way to Villarreal for the match, courtesy of Valencia CF.

I only hope and pray they get a good show.

I hate to say this is the most important match of the season, as I’ve said so often for so many matches.

But it is. We need this match and an Athletic Bilbao victory/draw over Atletico Madrid to move on to next weekend and our next ‘biggest match of the season.’

It’s important, for the future of our club, for the viability of Valencia Cf as a competitive sporting entity. I hope they play like they care. They’re saying and doing all the right things in the lead up.

But what matters most is what happens on the field tomorrow evening.

Call that whining or whatever you want. But know one thing: Valencia CF fans genuinely care about their club.

They care enough to come to this blog, to translate Spanish articles into their native language, to scour the Internet for tickets, to get together in the spirit of harmony and support.

We may be sh*t talkers but there’s a reason: we care.
Fair weather, we’re not. Can’t say that about many fan bases in Spain …

Amunt!! Let’s do it this weekend …