València Club de Futbol - The Future is Young

[Vladis]

[FM22] Valencia Club de Fútbol

June 2021

The owner of the team Peter Lim announces the start of the procedure for the club's sale. The new owner will be announced shortly.

July 1st, 2021

32-year-old Alicante born businessman Enrique Riquelme announces the club's takeover.

Born in 1989 in Cox (Alicante) Spain, Enrique Riquelme Vives is the Chairman, founder and President of Cox Energy, a renewable solar energy company, with multiple business lines, of which the following stand out: electricity generation through own photovoltaic projects, selling of fully renewable energy, and self-consumption.

 

What does it mean for Valencia?

- Riquelme wants to bring in new approach to club managing, relying on professionals who have strong roots with the club and Valencian Community.

- Fans shouldn`t expect serious money injections. New board wants to stabilize financial situation in the club and work towards being self-sustainable. Riquelme  bought the loan from the former owner of the club, but there are still 3 large loans from banks and the loan from the state.

- Much more attention to the club academy. One of the main long-term goals of Riquelme is to build the team based on home-grown players.

 

Legends return to the club

Managing Director -  Gaizka Mendieta

|Head of Youth Development -  Roberto Ayala|Assistant Manager -  Carlos Marchena|Chief Scout -  Vicente| U19 Manager -  Pablo Aimar|Mestalla Assistant Manager -  David Albelda

        

  

 

Main principles and goals of the save

- Return the the former glory to the club. Finally win Champions League;

- Focus on developing young players;

- The only transfer restriction: all the players under 18 y.o. signed to the club should be born in Valencian Community or be home-grown (0-21) for the club based in Valencian community;

- Entertaining and modern football.

[SteinkelssonFM]

Good luck with the save, nice to see another 🇪🇸 adventure. 

[wearesporting]

Love the concept. Definitely going to be doing a regional focused save in the future. Enjoying reading them.

[Vladis]

18 hours ago, MattyLewis11 said:

Good luck with the save, nice to see another 🇪🇸 adventure. 

Thanks Matty. Enjoying reading your Villareal adventures.

[Vladis]

18 hours ago, wearesporting said:

Love the concept. Definitely going to be doing a regional focused save in the future. Enjoying reading them.

Thanks. I also like regional saves but in my case it`s on very light mode as restrictions apply only on young players.

[Vladis]

SEASON 2021-2022 | PREVIEW

Commonly first pre-season of the save is a long process for me - a lot of tuning here and there, creating all possible custom views, making shortlists, drawing spreadsheets with desirable staff structure for the future, etc. And of course It`s time for evaluating the squad with its strengths and weaknesses.

Squad overview 

Spoiler

Team Leaders (images are clickable)

  

 

I think our squad is strong enough for meeting expectations from the board on this season. Though I don`t like the fact we have too many loaned players. Gaya and Soler are not only leaders but the core and orienteer for my project.

Top Prospects (images are clickable)

 

 

 

A very good mix of fantastic academy products and talented young players found abroad. I didn`t include in this list Duro, Gil and Moriba as they are on loan and not the fact they will remain in the club for the next season.

Expected starting XI and "second" squad

 

Of course there is possibility of changes as we still didn`t play even the first pre-season match. And this two squads I didn`t find place for Mamardashvili, Cheryshev, Andre but all of them have chances for minutes on the pitch.

 

Board expectations

Board is not too ambitious but this is good for now as last seasons were awful.

[Swaban]

I love a youth focused save & Valencia have a decent few young players. Good luck!

[Vladis]

On 14/11/2022 at 02:04, Swaban said:

I love a youth focused save & Valencia have a decent few young players. Good luck!

Thanks!;)

[Vladis]

SEASON 2021-2022 | JULY - AUGUST

No interesting news about our pre-season. We just:

- played some friendly matches. I could highlight 2-2 draw with Arsenal;

- made additions to the staff. There are still some weaknesses but next improvements will be no early than after the season.

---

Difficult start with the opening game at Camp Nou. Hard defeat but overall performance was encouraging, we just made few three awful mistakes. In next match we destroyed rival Levante with 2+2 from Guedes.

 

 

[Vladis]

SEASON 2021-2022 | SEPTEMBER

Very good month with comeback against Getafe, draw at Wanda Metropolitano and two comfortable wins at home. Leaders are playing like leaders should to play except of Gomez who is expected to do better job in front of opposition goal.

[Vladis]

SEASON 2021-2022 | OCTOBER

Great run with four straight wins and sudden draw against Cadiz where we deserved far more. I`m really excited with our goalscoring potential. In five from seven last matches we have scored 3 goals. Finally Gomez started to show the level he is expected.

[Vladis]

SEASON 2021-2022 | NOVEMBER

Our unbeatable run has reached fourteen games though I`m not satisfied with our attacking play in last two matches.

 

[TelcontarTargaryen]

Youth focused save with the aim of brining down Real and Barca? YES PLEASE!

[Vladis]

On 06/12/2022 at 02:59, TelcontarTargaryen said:

Youth focused save with the aim of brining down Real and Barca? YES PLEASE!

Yeah, it sounds ambitious I know. But It`s not youth only format so you could expect mature player signings too,

[Vladis]

SEASON 2021-2022 | DECEMBER

What a drama in match against Real. First time was close to perfection from our side. Excellent movement, pressing and 3 goals. But at the very beginning of the second half Gomez got a stupid red card in the center of the pitch and game totally turned around. Luckily only 3 goals we conceded as there were a lot of moments in our box.

  

In next games two pleasant away wins against two teams from top 7 (at that time) and absolutely mad game in the cup. 

---

The season for our leader Jose Gaya is already over. Awful news.

---

Contract extensions

Hugo Guillamon - until 2026

Jose Gaya - until 2026

Carlos Soler - until 2026

Our most valued home-growns players see their future in Valencia (I hope).

[SteinkelssonFM]

Having a great run of form and pushing Barcelona all the way. Valencia managed a great first season in my save, only to slip away towards the end of the first campaign, hopefully you can keep the good results flowing. 

[Vladis]

24 minutes ago, MattyLewis11 said:

Having a great run of form and pushing Barcelona all the way. Valencia managed a great first season in my save, only to slip away towards the end of the first campaign, hopefully you can keep the good results flowing. 

Thanks Matty. I don`t know how long we could keep this form but anyway It looks like we will have continental football next year.

[Vladis]

SEASON 2021-2022 | JANUARY

Suddenly we lost in January two important players. Newcastle activated release fee for Gomez and we had no chances to keep him. Paulista become unsettled, he also found Newcastle an attractive option to continue his career. Cillessen lost competition to Domenech and with his huge wage was no longer needed at the club.

The only signing is one of Valencia fan favorites - academy graduate, ex-Barca and Borussia forward Paco Alcacer. We have an option to sign Paco for 9M for permanent deal.

 

This month is a mix of some good matches including superb strong-willed victory over Barca and inexplicable defeat in Copa del Rey against another 4th tier side. 

[SteinkelssonFM]

Newcastle have pretty much handed you a war chest for the two players, I think you could add significant quality for £90m. 

Duro coming up with the goods in stoppage time against Barcelona.

[Vladis]

22 hours ago, MattyLewis11 said:

Newcastle have pretty much handed you a war chest for the two players, I think you could add significant quality for £90m. 

Duro coming up with the goods in stoppage time against Barcelona.

Not sure I can (or want) use all this money. Club still doesn`t has strong financial fundament and also wages could potentially significantly rise in near future so we should have some space under wage budget. But some good signings we could make in the summer (hope).

[Vladis]

SEASON 2021-2022 | FEBRUARY

Another great month. Very important win over Atletico with debut goal from Alcacer.

[Vladis]

SEASON 2021-2022 | MARCH

Soler is on fire in another unbeatable month.

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Youth Intake 2022

Impressive intake with some really great talents.

All images are clickable

  

 

All of them have potential to become elite players but I`m especially impressed with Ballesteros - could be fantastic winger.

[maxtothemax]

Interesting to have a Qatari prospect. Would be interesting to see when he gets his first call-up for the national team

[Vladis]

SEASON 2021-2022 | APRIL

Only 3 matches left and what opponents -  Real, Sevilla and R. Sociedad. I doubt about our chances to beat Barca at the finish but 2nd place would be also great achievement. 

Edited December 11, 2022 by Vladis

[Vladis]

SEASON 2021-2022 | MAY

We finally lost after 34 games unbeatable but It was Real. And last two games were fantastic. And all the season was fantastic! 

We have refreshed some club records:

- Most points in a season

- Fewest league defeats in a season

- Most matches without losing (36)

 

 

[rich ruzzian]

What a season! Any other year you would be champion i guess 

[Vladis]

SEASON 2021-2022 | REVIEW

I couldn`t even wish for better season than this. The best result for 18 years and CL next season at Mestalla.

Player Stats

Award Winners (La Liga)

Player of the season - Carlos Soler

Goalkeeper of the season - Jaume Domenech

 

[DavidBeckham]

Fantastic season by you mate! Quality start to the save and will be following this

[DaNascimento]

Following this, because i'm also on a Valencia save atm (luckly in my case Lim left after one and a half year). Interesting to see, how your youth prospects will develop

[Vladis]

On 14/12/2022 at 13:14, DavidBeckham said:

Fantastic season by you mate! Quality start to the save and will be following this

Thanks mate! Will try to keep this quality 

[Vladis]

5 hours ago, DaNascimento said:

Following this, because i'm also on a Valencia save atm (luckly in my case Lim left after one and a half year). Interesting to see, how your youth prospects will develop

Good luck with your save. Do you get sugar daddy or just local businessmen instead of Lim?

Talking about youth prospects I have big hopes for Abdulla and Ballesteros. My only concern is development through club vertical as our B team didn`t promote to playable league and the progress of young players there is slow. 

[DaNascimento]

vor 10 Minuten schrieb Vladis:

Good luck with your save. Do you get sugar daddy or just local businessmen instead of Lim?

Talking about youth prospects I have big hopes for Abdulla and Ballesteros. My only concern is development through club vertical as our B team didn`t promote to playable league and the progress of young players there is slow. 

thanks! no got an italian consortium who was before in charge at Parma. But they wanted to bring in Dolberg and Gabriel Menino as present. In the end just the brazilian came.

The two prospects looks very nice. But yeah, the B-Team is important for development. You don't play till Segunda Divison B or do they even play lower?

[Vladis]

SEASON 2022-2023 | PREVIEW

Transfers

No big departures (at least for now). Comert was unhappy with playing time so we ket him go. Our young talents Mosquera and Mamardashvili were sent on loan to have regular practice.

I`m very pleased with our transfer campaign. Despite moderate transfer budget we have strengthen all lines.

all images are clickable

We definitely needed top keeper for CL football. And Onana is fantastic signing for free. We were convincing him to join the club since January and finally despite some offers from EPL he moved to Valencia.

After fail with signing Toni Martinez from Porto (our home-grown player) my scouts advised me Giovanni who had good season in Verona (13 goals in Serie A). Spanish passport was also good argument in signing.

 

Another top transfer. Dominguez in his 24 already has 10 matches for national team and very good background in Italy. Massive improvement to our midfield line.

Well-known for our supporters player. After not the best 5 years at Mestalla from 2013 to 2019 he then became key player for Levante. And after relegation of our rivals Ruben returns to our club.

Was the best player in another relegated side - Osasuna. He is product of Levante academy.

Good young defencive-minded midfielder. Could be used in DM or CM position. Decent rotation option.

Young defender with Irish roots. Moved to Germany at young age after graduating Betis academy. 

Also we bought out Alderete (7M) and Hugo Duro (3M) after good last season on loan contracts. And also Manu Vallejo returns from decent loan spell at Alaves (9 goals and 6 assists in 36 games).

Expected starting XI and "second" squad

 

 

Friendly matches

We had a tour in USA where we have tested ourself against MLS sides. Most pleasant and important thing is that we avoided any injures during this period.

 

Board expectations/Season odds

I have slightly more ambitious than our board but let see how season goes.

[Vladis]

31 minutes ago, DaNascimento said:

thanks! no got an italian consortium who was before in charge at Parma. But they wanted to bring in Dolberg and Gabriel Menino as present. In the end just the brazilian came.

The two prospects looks very nice. But yeah, the B-Team is important for development. You don't play till Segunda Divison B or do they even play lower?

They play lower. I was hoping that they promote for eligible league but still no. May be in the future It would be possible if we will have decent players at B team squad.

[Vladis]

SEASON 2022-2023 | JULY - AUGUST

Decent start of the season. Despite we were close to defeat in match with Barca but our game was very pleasant and late goal from Guillamon was fully deserved. Simeone started really well with 4 goals but at the same time he missed a lot of good chances.

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I`m content with the draw. Man City is of course a favorite. Porto is tough opponent but I think we will have chances. I don`t know what to expect from Dinamo but anyway we are better team and should prove it on the pitch.

 

[Vladis]

SEASON 2022-2023 | SEPTEMBER

I`m happy with our results so far. Our CL campaign we started with very important away win over Porto and after 3 round we have good chances for promotion. We also faced tough opponents in La Liga and managed to take all points in this fixtures.

[Vladis]

SEASON 2022-2023 | OCTOBER - DECEMBER

Very busy calendar and amazing results. I don`t know how long we could keep this form but for now watching our games is a real pleasure. Our opponent in first KO round CL will be Man Utd. Everything is possible.

 

2022 FIFA World Cup

Group Stages

Nigeria was sensational and Argentina finished 4th in Group with Croatia, Austria and Jamaica 

Valencia players at WC

 Carlos Soler

 Jose Gaya

 Thierry Rendall Correia

 Yunus Musah

Not the best tournament for all our players.

Edited December 25, 2022 by Vladis

[Vladis]

SEASON 2022-2023 | JANUARY

Rotation at the bench. Aging Foulquier joins Benfica. 

And on his position we signed 23 y.o. Mingueza. Loan until the end of season and agreed future contract as he is leaving on free next summer. Good player who suits our tactical system. 

 

January brang  us first trophy under my management. Fantastic show in two matches from Simeone was a crucial factor in our victory. In the league we mixed excellent away wins over Betis and Atletico with unlucky draws in home matches against Villareal and Mallorca. Also we continue our campaign in Copa, next opponent is more serious - Sevilla.

[Vladis]

SEASON 2022-2023 | FEBRUARY

Month started with deserved defeat in Copa del Rey to Sevilla. But all next matches were great. Draw at Camp Nou and win over Man U are on top of February,

[Vladis]

SEASON 2022-2023 | MARCH

Suddenly we couldn`t make another step in CL but I`m proud of our performance. We looked better in both matches but may be we are not yet so experienced to convert good game into win in matches like these. In the league we are still very comfortable on the 1st place but a lot of tough matches are still ahead of us.

 

Youth Intake 2023

Mixed impressions. In face of Colley we`ve got generational talent at the first glance but fickle personality could limit his future.

all images are clickable

 

[Vladis]

SEASON 2022-2023 | APRIL

Important draw at Santiago Bernabeu following by Real win in derby El Classico makes our chances on title more and more real. We need 5 points in last 5 matches. Everything in our hands.

[Vladis]

SEASON 2022-2023 | MAY

Absolutely special end of season! Last song is crushing victory over Atletico on the final day of the season. What an amazing campaign! Proud of my boys.

And another records updated

- Most points in a season

- Most league wins in a season 

- Fewest league defeats in a season

- Most league goals scored in a season

[Vladis]

SEASON 2022-2023 | REVIEW

Unforgettable season for us. First undefeated in club history (!). First league title since 2004 when guys like Canizares, Mista, Ayala, Albelda, Vicente, Aimar, Baraja  etc. led Valencia to the top. In Champions League we also were great. It`s not a shame to lose to Man Utd especially showing top quality of football in these two matches.

Player Stats

Simeone was sensational in his first season in Spain. Hope it`s not a blast. Quality season from team leaders again - Soler, Gaya, Guedes, Diakhaby. I would also pinpoint progress of Garcia McNulty and Mesah.

Award Winners (La Liga)

Goalkeeper of the Season - Andre Onana

Manager of the Season - Federico Velazquez

[DaNascimento]

congratulations, brillant season!

[Vladis]

10 hours ago, DaNascimento said:

congratulations, brillant season!

Thanks mate! Absolutely brilliant