Joaquín is so much more than a nice guy, and has spent his entire football career trying to prove he wasn’t a flash in the pan in his 20s
Tag: valencia
Something as simple as a bat on a football badge may seem so trivial at first but, in the city of Valencia’s case, it represents so much more
Looking down at the drop zone in January, Valencia, led brilliantly by Marcelino, would finish the season with Copa del Rey glory and European football
A star at Valencia and Lazio in their greatest eras, sadly Claudio López would miss out on both the trophies and love he certainly deserved
Underrated in both Europe and his homeland according to Diego Maradona, Mario Kempes remains one of Argentina’s greatest strikers
One of Real Madrid’s most iconic imports, Predrag Mijatović remains a shining star in a spectacular era of gifted Yugoslav footballers
When the final whistle blew on a mild night in Gothenburg’s Ullevi stadium, there was an overwhelming sense amongst everyone connected with Valencia that they had achieved something really quite special. It was…
“You’re too young to be playing that much football and moving from home – focus on your studies.” Ricardo Aimar wasn’t in any mood to allow his son’s life to be caught…
As featured on Guardian Sport Spanish football at the turn of the millennium is nostalgically looked upon in some quarters as the real heydey of the domestic scene in the country. It was…
Three games had passed since the man who adorns their iconic 21 was seen or heard from. His absence was shrouded in mystery, with various theories snaking through the local pubs and…
Throughout history there are thousands of individuals who, in a literal sense, have given their life to become professional athletes, all with a dream of one day becoming elite-level performers. Some had…
Illustration by Federico Manasse The headlines the morning after seemed hyperbolic, but those that witnessed it knew there was no exaggeration. “What a bully!” read Marca’s front page. “Sensational”, effused Mundo Deportivo.…
Confined to his hospital bed, all he could do was stare helplessly at the television. The faint sound of music was still audible, but the match encompassing his eyes had him transfixed.…
IMAGINE ONE OF THOSE BLOCKBUSTER SPY MOVIES. The opening scene features some cityscape and a superimposed date and place. After a bit of action, another cityscape appears, alongside another date and place,…
WHAT MAKES A GOOD MANAGER? For some, it’s an innate ability to motivate a group, a natural charisma that can unite a team around a common goal. For others, it’s tactical acumen…
STEPPING OFF THE PLATFORM at the Abando train station and into its main corridor, you are immediately reminded of where you are. As your footsteps take you through clouds of tobacco smoke…
This story starts in Valencia, but not where you might expect. The year is 2015 and Benicàssim is hosting one of biggest music festivals on the continent. Thousands of sunburnt revellers are…
Nowadays it’s becoming increasingly rare for English managers to find success outside of the British Isles. Steve McClaren led Twente to the Eredivisie title in 2010 but then struggled in Germany with…