Memories

By: Cesar | October 11th, 2007

I have lots of different blog posts in mind, this being a quiet weekend what with the Euro 2008 qualifiers taking place.

I could comment on Real Madrid’s interest in David Villa. But why even bother?

1- Spanish newspaper/toilet rag MARCA simply stated this to sell papers.

2 – You know he’s gone after Madrid released a press release saying they’re not interested in El Guaje. Haven’t they done this with every big buy? Beckham, Zidane, Ronaldo … now Villa?

My only comment on this is this: If they pay the buyout clause, which is almost 150M Euros, have fun Villa. With that money, Valencia could buy three or four excellent players and invest in a young striker to take Villa’s place.

I place my loyalty to the badge (escudo) first and the players second. Cynical viewpoint, I know. But really: Did my love for Mendieta, Claudio Lopez, Farinos or Mijatovic (Judas) prevent them from leaving?

It’s a business. As such, if they pay the clause, Valencia would be crazy not to accept.

Let’s move on.

So I was reminiscing the other day and after bandying around some blog post ideas (my personal stories about Valencia, run-ins with Canizares, meeting Thierry Henry), I decided to post my Top 5 all-time favorite Valencia memories …

I won’t say much about them (what’s there to say? The moments speak for themselves), but I’ll list them and see what you all think.

And let’s open the floor up: What are your all-time favorite Valencia memories? What are the games, the moments that defined your fan-hood for this club that frustrates and brings us so much glee?

Here are mine. I look forward to hearing yours …

5 – Valencia wins the Copa Del Rey over Atletico Madrid 3-0

Lots of drama with it being Claudio Ranieri’s last game at the helm. I know he came back in 2005 and screwed the club up for the interim. But his first time at the helm was wonderful. He’s really the leader of the current renaissance at the club and the man who brought Valencia to the forefront of European football.

This game marked Valencia’s first major trophy in 20 years. The celebration was enormous. What I remember most about the game besides Mendieta’s wonder goal is the last goal by Claudio Lopez, ‘El Piojo’ (the Flea), who got the ball from Canizares in midfield and scorched the ball into the Atletico net … commentator Michel, a member of Real Madrid’s famed La Quinta del Buitre, called Cani crazy for sending the ball to Lopez so deep. And then he shut up when Lopez ran the length of the pitch, caught the ball in midfield and scored. Classic.

To see a wonderful video in Valenciano of the club’s march towards the title, please click here!!! It’s very, very touching … and I love the song. (Didn’t I say I wasn’t going to say much?)

4 – Valencia destroys Lazio at home in the 1999-00 Champions League quarter-finals, 5-2.

I often ask people why they became fans of Valencia and more people cite this game than any other. Beautiful passing, great touch of the ball and a hat-trick by Gerard, plus an emphatic finisher by Lopez was the Cupid’s arrow through many a supporter’s heart. I’m getting goosebumps just writing about this game.

Don’t forget we also destroyed Barcelona 4-1 at home in the first leg of the semi-finals that year en route to the Final against Madrid. Here’s a video of the last goal by Claudio Lopez … ahh, the joy …

3 – Baraja’s second goal against Espanyol en route to the 2002 La Liga title.

For me, this goal showed we were ready to win the title. Let Wikipedia explain it …

(Valencia) would come up against Espanyol … Valencia were trailing 1-0 at half-time and a man down too with the dismissal of Carboni, but the team rose to the occasion once again and two goals from Baraja gave Valencia a 2-1 victory. Furthermore, Real Madrid’s defeat in Anoeta to Real Sociedad left Valencia with a three-point lead at the top of the table.

Three points and the following week, a victory against Malaga gave Valencia their first Spanish league title in 31 years. Couldn’t have happened without that dramatic winner by Baraja against Espanyol … Does anyone have video of this goal??

2 – 2004 Spanish league victory in Sevilla

It doesn’t get sweeter than this. Madrid buy Beckham, we’re afterthoughts. Then all of a sudden, you look at the league table one day and say, ‘Wait a minute. If we win and they lose next week, we’re champions.’

That’s the reaction I had. It was expected that Madrid would roll over everyone. But it wasn’t to be. Goes to show you that leagues aren’t won on paper.

Click here to see a cool video of Valencia’s march to the title that magical season … you know, it could be like this again one day … interesting song, eh?

and my favorite moment as a Valencia fan has to be …

1 – Canizares crying after the 2001 Champions League Final

You know why this is my moment? More so that Valencia getting to the Final in 2000? (That’s on my Top 5 WORST moments by the way … )

Because it showed he cared. Because he meant it, right from his heart. After losing the 2000 Final in excruciating fashion, they bowed out again in the Final, this time on penalties.

And Canizares cried with us all, rolling on the ground with tears in his eyes, symbolizing our feelings about the club losing the most important title in the land. It showed he was one of us. And that meant a lot to me …

He picked up his runner-up medal at the podium and threw it down on the ground, letting the world know that 2nd place wasn’t good enough this time. Click here for a video of that fateful, painful game …

I cried. You cried. Canizares cried. And I’m so happy he did, because he showed his love for the club that day, wore it on his sleeve. His love was there for all of us to see, a love that many of us share …

So those are my moments … what are yours?