Racing and a Chelsea Link?

By: Cesar | October 30th, 2008

After thumping third division side Portugalete 4-1 in the Copa Del Rey midweek (I’d previously said Segunda B side Portugalete … ), Our Beloved are back at the Mestalla for a Saturday evening match against 17th-place Racing Santander.

Nicola Zigic’s former club is struggling, scoring a scant 5 goals during the season.
They could have used the tall Serbian, who they wanted back on loan during the off-season.

Unfortunately, it didn’t happen. And now, they’re not firing on any cylinders.

As Spanish scribe Guillem Balague says in his preview of the game this week:

When Valencia play away from home, they are much less aggressive and they don’t get into fifth gear; they just rely on the goals of Juan Mata or David Villa, who have scored 13 out of the team’s 18 goals between them.

But at home, they’re a different proposition. They find that extra gear and on paper, they should take all three points.

In fact, this game could even be the final nail in the coffin for Jose Ramon Lopez Muniz’s tenure. Expectations were huge after Racing qualified for Europe but it just hasn’t happened in the league.

They tried to get Nikola Zigic back in the summer but it didn’t work out and it’s quite clear they still need a striker.

So in case you didn’t know, now you do.

We should get the three points. We should stay top of the table. We should … we should … we should …

No offense to Racing, but when do we play a good team? Oh, that’s right. The end of the month and a match against Sevilla.

Maybe I should shut up and enjoy our silky run through the jobbers of La Liga. But I want to see our club tested, our backs against the wall.

I want to see how Emery responds to the loss of a lead against one of the giants of Spanish football. I want to see how the club operates during THAT run in December, when we play Barcelona, Espanyol, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Villarreal in successive weeks.

I want to see us get out of that run intact, knowing this incantation of Valencia CF is ready and the past can be put where it belongs – the past.

Until then, I’ll shut up and enjoy this. First place. Best striker in the world. A good, young coach.

Things could be a lot worse …

Then again, anxiety exists.

Today, diminutive striker Juan Mata said the team wants to test themselves against the best of Spain. At the top of that list? Barcelona.

“We want to measure our level against the biggest teams,” says the striker, whose tiny, small voice caused the journalist to lose him as Mata scampered around a desk, behind a locker and between the writer’s feet while fielding queries.

“I think the team is very good at the moment, focused on each game and together.”

True, we’ve only played lesser teams. But so? We played who we had to play, no?

Mata signals Barcelona out as their toughest rivals and also spoke today about their upcoming match with Racing Santander this weekend.

“I like the way Barcelona play, based on possession, going forward and having players to change games. They are an example for everyone and I believe they are our strongest rivals,” Mata said while poking his head out from one of the coffees on Curro Torres’s serving tray.

“Racing have a great team and coach and they will make it a difficult match,” said Mata before assuring that he thinks we’ll be able to take all three points.

The striker also spoke about the 4-1 victory over Portugalete in the Copa Del Rey Wednesday and said Our Beloved want to defend the title we won last year.

“There are seasons when Primera teams lose to Segunda teams and we did not want that to happen to us. It will be difficult to overturn the result and we approach this tournament with the desire to repeat the success of last year,” he concluded.

One question: Who translates this stuff?? No one talks like that …

Anyways …

Two news tidbits …

1 – Chelsea are after our Valencia B youth product, right back Ximo Navarro. Who?

Beats me. He was called up for the midweek Copa game, but didn’t get any action.

According to the report, he’s seen as a back-up player for big-boned Portugal international Miguel.

His promise for Valencia’s B team has reportedly attracted Chelsea’s interest and Navarro suggests he would consider a move to Stamford Bridge.

But for now, he wants to stay with us.

“This subject lies with the club,” said Navarro, who has yet to sign a professional contract.

“I am happy in Valencia and my dream is to get into the first team, but if any other offers arrive it is normal to study them.”

Ok …

2 – Remember Brazilian teenager Keirrison? The young, hot-shot striker we almost bought a few weeks ago?

He’s supposedly off to Liverpool. Uggh …

The Daily Mirror reports that the forward has been offered to Liverpool and not to us, even though we’ve been tracking him since he was drafted into the Coritiba squad in 2007.

The teenager has gone on to score over 50 goals in just over 100 matches and has now come to prominence across the Atlantic.

Barcelona also want him.

What does all of this mean? Who knows? It’s all speculation at this point.

At the end of the day, how will we be able to compete with the likes of Barcelona and Liverpool financial-wise?

Age-old question, but one I can’t answer at the present moment.

What I do know is that if the Brazilian wants to play with a squad who’d welcome him with open arms, here we are.

As long as we don’t overpay, of course …