Valencia has announced this Tuesday Rubén Baraja as the new coach of the first team. The one who was one of the most outstanding footballers of the Valencian team will have another legend of the club such as Carlos Marchena in the coaching staff to try to overcome the flight of a team that is immersed in relegation places.
The bad results condemned Gennaro Gattuso at the end of January, who was dismissed after the defeat of Valencia in Valladolid (1-0). “I always show my face, and I am primarily responsible (for the team’s bad streak), but I neither control the club’s money nor am I the one who signs,” the coach said before knowing his departure. During these weeks, Voro González, a man of the house, has been in charge of directing the team that Baraja will now lead.
“’Pipo’, one of the most successful and illustrious players in the history of Valencia CF, knows the idiosyncrasies of the Club and returns home as a coach to contribute his professionalism and commitment after forging his legend in the 2000s by contributing to win two Leagues, a UEFA Cup, a European Super Cup and a Copa del Rey”, describes Valencia in a statement.
As a coach, Baraja has directed Zaragoza, Tenerife, Sporting, Rayo and Elche. In addition, he has entered the youth of the Valencian academy. The club explains that “in the next few days he will take charge of the team.” Valencia visits Getafe on Monday (9:00 p.m.) in what will be Baraja’s first game as the new coach of the Che team.
Valencia is in relegation places, one point behind Espanyol, which marks salvation. Peter Lim’s team is the only one, along with Getafe, that has not known victory so far in 2023, so the duel at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez will be life or death for both.
He is the 18th coach to pass through the Mestalla bench in the last ten years: Gattuso, Valverde, Djukic, Pizzi, Nuno, Gary Neville, Prandelli, Marcelino, Celades or Bordalás, among others, have circulated there. It has been a turbulent few years at Valencia since the Singaporean businessman Peter Lim came to own the club in 2014. Without a solid sports project, the Valencian fans have lost patience and the protests in Mestalla are becoming louder.
