Valencia CF season 2006-07
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The Valencia CF season 2006-07, consists of several competitions for Spanish football (soccer) club Valencia CF compete in. They play in the domestic 2006-07 La Liga championship, the Copa del Rey and the international 2006-07 UEFA Champions League tournament.
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[edit] Overview
Valencia has made significant changes for the 2006/2007 season. Coach Quique Sanchez Flores and technical director Amedeo Carboni reshuffled the squad to give it a fresh look. Players who did not fit in the current Valencia playing system such as Marco Di Vaio, Bernardo Corradi, Pablo Aimar, Rufete, and Mista were some of those who were sold, while Fabio Aurelio signed for Liverpool after refusing an extension to his contract. To strengthen the squad, Valencia have made big signings by bringing in Joaquin, Asier del Horno, Fernando Morientes and Francesco Tavano. They have also recalled the likes of Silva and Gavilan who are expected to form a core part of the squad this season. Valencia have also promoted several youngsters from the Valencia B Squad.
The current squad is therefore a blend of youth and experience. On paper, Valencia has one of the strongest teams in years, with international talent on almost all fronts. While normal, experienced players such as Roberto Ayala provide their leadership, the captain's armband is on international defensive midfielder David Albelda, with David Villa "El Guaje" becoming one of the most recognizable names on the Valencian roster. The fans expect the team to deliver this time around after some disappointing seasons. However the club has already experienced its fair share of problems in pre-season. The club's attempt to sign Benfica's Simão Sabrosa has yield no favorable result. Carboni and the club's president have also fallen out with veteran defender Roberto Ayala, who has expressed his desire to leave the club for local rivals Villarreal CF. Current players such as Stefano Fiore and Mario Regueiro have also been linked with different clubs. However, Valencia have started the season strongly. So far, they have won all their matches in the Champions League against Olympiakos and A.S. Roma and Shakhtar Donetsk. The team qualified to pass on to the next round in a 2-2 draw against Shaktar the second time they played them. In the La Liga, they have registered victories against Real Betis, Atlético Madrid, Getafe, Gimnastic de Tarragona along with a creditable draw with current La Liga champions FC Barcelona. As of 1st October 2006, Valencia are sitting on second spot behind Barcelona on goal difference in the Spanish La Liga. However, in recent weeks, Valencia has been slipping due to a miserable game vs. Celta Vigo and followed by another derailment to one of the worse sides in the La Liga, Racing Santander. The theory behind these losses is that Valencia has lost so much of their key talent to injury, like captain David Albelda, midfielder Rubén Baraja, wingers Jaime Gavilan Martinez and Vicente Rodriguez, defenders Carlos Marchena and Asier del Horno and forward Francesco Tavano. Despite all these worries, the team finally looks settled and strong enough to make an impact in Europe this season as well as in La Liga.
[edit] Squad
- The numbers are established according to the official website:www.valenciacf.es and www.lfp.es
As of 12 September 2006
[edit] Squad changes
In:
- Image:Flag of Spain.svg Fernando Morientes - Signed From Liverpool F.C.
- Image:Flag of Spain.svg David Silva - Return From Celta de Vigo
- Image:Flag of Spain.svg Gavilán - Return From Getafe CF
- Image:Flag of Italy.svg Image:European flag.svg Stefano Fiore - Return From ACF Fiorentina
- Image:Flag of Spain.svg Javier Garrido - Return From Albacete Balompié
- Image:Flag of Spain.svg Asier del Horno - Signed From Chelsea
- Image:Flag of Italy.svg Image:European flag.svg Francesco Tavano - Signed From Empoli F.C.
- Image:Flag of Spain.svg Joaquín - Signed From Real Betis
Out:
- Image:Flag of Italy.svg Image:European flag.svg Marco Di Vaio -Transferred To A.S. Monaco
- Image:Flag of Italy.svg Image:European flag.svg Amedeo Carboni - Retired
- Image:Flag of Brazil.svg Image:Flag of Italy.svg Fabio Aurelio - Transferred To Liverpool F.C.
- Image:Flag of Spain.svg Jose Enrique - Transferred To Villarreal CF
- Image:Flag of Uruguay.svg Image:Flag of Italy.svg Fabian Estoyanoff - On Loan To Deportivo de La Coruña
- Image:Flag of Portugal.svg Image:European flag.svg Caneira - On Loan To Sporting
- Image:Flag of Italy.svg Image:European flag.svg Bernardo Corradi - Transferred To Manchester City F.C.
- Image:Flag of Spain.svg Francisco Rufete - Transferred To RCD Espanyol
- Image:Flag of Spain.svg Mista - Transferred To Atlético de Madrid
- Image:Flag of Argentina.svg Pablo Aimar - Transferred To Real Zaragoza
- Image:Flag of Spain.svg Javier Garrido - Transferred To Lorca Deportiva
- Image:Flag of the Netherlands.svg Image:European flag.svg Patrick Kluivert - Transferred To PSV Eindhoven
- Image:Flag of Italy.svg Image:European flag.svg Stefano Fiore - On Loan To Torino FC
[edit] Captains
[edit] Foreigners
Only three non-European Union nationals can be on the pitch at any time. Those with European ancestry can claim a passport from the nation their ancestors came from. If a player does not have European ancestry, he can claim a Spanish passport after playing in Spain for five years.
- Image:Flag of Argentina.svg Ayala
- Image:Flag of Brazil.svg Image:Flag of Portugal.svg Edu
- Image:Flag of France.svg Image:European flag.svg Butelle
- Image:Flag of Italy.svg Image:European flag.svg Moretti
- Image:Flag of Italy.svg Image:European flag.svg Tavano
- Image:Flag of Portugal.svg Image:European flag.svg Miguel
- Image:Flag of Portugal.svg Image:European flag.svg Hugo Viana
- Image:Flag of Uruguay.svg Image:Flag of Spain.svg Regueiro
