Barry Ferguson On Rangers v Valencia

[ian1964 10,447]

17 Oct 2010

 

ON very few occasions during my career have I walked off a football field and been left absolutely awestruck by the opposition.

 

However, looking back to 1999, and my experiences against the Valencia side of that time, those two Champions League matches were certainly nights when I was left shaking my head at the stunning quality of footballer Rangers had come up against.

 

I have to be honest and say I don�t know much about the class of 2010. The occasional pieces of La Liga that I do manage to watch on television, though, always showcase Valencia as being a very good side.

 

It is widely accepted they are the ââ?¬Å?third forceââ?¬Â in Spain behind the heavy-weights of Barcelona and Real Madrid, but the current side would have to go some to be as good as their predecessors.

 

Valencia split the big two the season I faced them; and the results they achieved back up my claim.

 

After beating us in the first group phase, they went all the way to the final in Paris. They battered Barcelona in the semi-finals, with a first-leg 4-1 thumping in the Mestalla, before finally succumbing to Madrid in the final in the Stade de France.

 

They lost 3-0 against a supreme Real team, but, essentially, Valencia were the second-best side in Europe that season. That says enough about what they had in their arsenal when they faced Rangers, and a very good Ibrox team at that, let me add.

 

The ironic thing about those group games 11 years ago was that Valencia were dismissed, almost written off, before we played them in mid-September.

 

They had endured a pretty woeful start to the Spanish season. On the flight over from Glasgow they were, quite famously, branded ââ?¬Å?the Aberdeen of Spainââ?¬Â in some sections of the press. That was a reference to their lowly league position, and a compar-ison to the Dons, who had made a slow opening to the SPL campaign.

 

We were buzzing at Rangers at the start of that season under Dick Advocaat. We had clinched the treble in his first year at the helm, the league title providing us with access to the Champions League, and it was to give many of us our first taste of the big time.

 

In our squad going over to Valencia we had players such as Sergio Porrini, Lorenzo Amoruso, Claudio Reyna, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Jorg Albertz, Michael Mols, Gabriel Amato, Arthur Numan, Neil McCann, Craig Moore and Colin Hendry.

 

We felt there was a good mix of exper- ience and younger, emerging players, certainly with enough about us to go and have a crack at the Spaniards, and also Bayern Munich and PSV Eindhoven, the other two teams in the group.

 

The record books state Valencia beat Rangers 2-0; that doesn�t tell the story. They toyed with us and, even though the goals came in the second half, it could have been a really painful defeat had they been a bit more clinical in front of goal.

 

In the midfield area, where we were very strong, they had Gaizka Mendieta, an absolutely superb player, and David Albelda was as tough an opponent as I had faced at that time. They moved the ball at such speed, they attacked from different angles, with Kily Gonzalez and Claudio Lopez looking menacing every time they had the ball.

 

Advocaat was thorough in all his preparations for matches, but there was little he, or any of us, could do to combat them.

 

By the time they came to Ibrox at the end of October, they were flying. Again they bossed the match, and they were two goals ahead at the interval. As I said, we were doing well ourselves, having beaten PSV back-to-back and drawn with Bayern, but Valencia were a notch above the rest of us.

 

Mendieta was immense. He had such an ability to take the ball in tight areas, yet somehow lift his head and find a yard to make a pass.

 

The biggest lesson I learned from Valencia was that, in the Champions League, possession of the ball is king. To this day, and it will apply on Wednesday again when they are back in town, it is the most crucial factor when trying to cope against sides of that quality. They get enough of the ball without you giving it back to them cheaply!

 

Rangers will need to try to keep hold of the ball for as long as they can; even if it is just for periods of passing that don�t actually see you press forward, it allows the defence time to breathe.

 

I would imagine that, even though the faces have changed, the ethos of Valencia will be the same. They have superb technique, an excellent touch, and they will try to pick Rangers off.

 

In saying that, I have been really pleased for my old team with what they have achieved so far in Europe this season. To get a point at Old Trafford was outstanding. Some of the stuff written and said about the tactics they used was just laughable. I have watched many sides defend in numbers against Manchester United, but get opened up. Rangers just defended better than most. They were superb.

 

Having followed that up with a win over Bursaspor gives them a very good opportunity of European football after Christmas. But first they must deal with Valencia ââ?¬â?? and that could be easier said than done.

 

 

http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/rangers/keeping-the-ball-will-be-vital-for-rangers-against-their-spanish-opponents-in-the-champions-league-1.1062001

[Gribz 743]

I was at that game in 1999 and still to this day say its the best side Ive seen with my eyes at an actual match, they were immense.

 

We were a really good side then, we were unlucky not to beat bayern after being all over them for 90 mins then they nicked at 90th min equalizer and we strolled past PSV...not to mention Parma the previous season in the UEFA cup, but Valencia were a different class.

[Guest PTB]

I fear we may be in for a reality check on Wednesday

[Whosthedado 1,519]

There a good team no doubt abou that, but I fancy us at Ibrox. Even a point would keep us in the hunt for qualification while also more or less sealing 3rd spot if the Turks lost to Man U:spl:

[Totti 0]

Valencia are the best team in our group, despite losing to Man Utd. Anything from them over the 2 legs would be a good achievement

[theboyharley 5]

Mendieta playing for Valencia was as good as Zidane. His passing was exceptional. It never really worked out for him when he left Valencia but he was a top top player

[Totti 0]

He was great. Crazy how at about 28 he seemed to completely lose it.

[Danny 0]

Valencia top the table in La Liga having beaten only bottom half sides and Bursaspor - they drew with Atletico and lost to Barca. They also lost to Man Utd.

 

They are a good team and I am not underestimating them, but they're being over-rated.

 

Close scrutiny of their season so far doesn't actually herald them as special.

 

That said, they will be very tough opposition on Wednesday by our standards.

[Cotter 0]

Did the Herald really print that? That's fucking hilarious. "possession is king!" Magic.

[Totti 0]

Valencia top the table in La Liga having beaten only bottom half sides and Bursaspor - they drew with Atletico and lost to Barca. They also lost to Man Utd.

 

They are a good team and I am not underestimating them, but they're being over-rated.

 

Close scrutiny of their season so far doesn't actually herald them as special.

 

That said, they will be very tough opposition on Wednesday by our standards.

They drew with Atletico, a good side, and outplayed Barca for spells at the Nou Camp last night going a goal in front. They aren't overrated at all.

Edited October 17, 2010 by Totti