Bayern Munich vs Valencia CF Match Preview

Bayern Munich vs Valencia CF Match Preview

Stadium: Allianz Arena

Date: 19.09.2012; 20:45 CET

1st matchday, Champions League

Coaches: Jupp Heynckes and Mauricio Pellegrino

FC Bayern Munich

What can be said or written about FC Bayern Munich that isn't already known? Bayern Munich is the most successful football club in the history of German football, they have won more trophy's domestically and internationally than any other German club and are one of the most successful clubs in Europe and the world as well. Bayern Munich have won 22 national titles and 15 cups, 5 DFL supercups of the newer competitions and 4 champion league titles, the most recent one interestingly in 2001 when they actually beat Valencia CF on penalties and went on to lift the champions league trophy. Bayern Munich played in the final of the Champions League two years before actually, but lost in the final minutes of the match to Manchester United after basically leading the whole match 1-0. Interestingly enough Valencia CF played two consecutive times in the final, first against Real Madrid and then against Bayern Munich and lost both times.

More recently Bayern Munich played in the final of the Champions League last season where they were beaten by Chelsea on penalties no less. Of course now they have lost two times in the final of the Champions League to English teams, no less in the Allianz Arena which hosted the Champions League final last season.

Bayern Munich also finished second in the Bundesliga as well as the DFB Pokal final, both times loosing to Borusia Dortmund. 

Bayern Munich are actually the favorites to win the Champions League this year as well, along with the likes of Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. The path is going to be difficult though and even though on paper they have an even stronger team that last season, the competition is even fiercer than last year and there are some dark horses that may surprise like Juventus and Manchester City and even Borusia Dortmund, although the last two are in the group of death so tough luck for them. Bayern Munich are in an easier group with us of course, French Lille and Belarus Bate Borisov.

In the German Bundesliga Bayern Munich are currently first with three wins out of three games and are on a good path, at least a very promising start to win the domestic league. Their record is 12 goals scored and only two conceded, though the competition so far hasn't been tough and they are yet to play with some of the  top clubs where we'll see how they do. Either way they are favorites for the domestic title as well and certainly after two years abstinence are likely to bring it home as rarely have they not won the title for more than two years.

Mario Mandzukic and Thomas Muller have been in great form so far, both scoring 3 goals each, while Bayern brought Javi Martinez this summer transfer window from Athletic Bilbao for a staggering 40 million euros, basically matching his release clause and being able to snatch him from Bilbao, but the player did took a serious pay cut in order to facilitate the transfer. Lets just say Bayern Munich are breeming with top talent right now and have such squad depth, they truly are top club in Europe right now with few names who often sit on the bench as Xherdan Shaqiri the new arrival, Luiz Gustavo, Toni Croos and so on... Of course lets not forget the ones that are regulars like Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thomas Müller, Philip Lahm, Franck Ribbery and Ajren Robben.

Bayern Munich squad: to be announced...

Technical Details FC Bayern Munich (probable setups):
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Line-up: Neuer; Lahm, Boateng, Badstuber, Dante; Schweinsteiger, Luis Gustavo; Shaqiri, Muller, Ribbery; Mandzukic.
Tactics: High defensive line, own half pressure, keep possession, mostly short circular passing, spreading the ball to the wings, cut inside the penalty area from the wings.

Valencia CF

Valencia CF on the other hand isn't as decorated as Bayern Munich and certainly isn't the most successful club in Spain, but it is the third most successful club in Spain and while Valencia CF has never won the Champions League it came really close twice, the last time actually against none other than Bayern Munich when they lost on penalties. Valencia CF also reached the final the previous season, but lost to Real Madrid 3-0 actually. I'd say from 1999 to 2003 was the most successful period in Valencia CF history with one of the best squads of the century. Certainly players from those years have been officially reckognized by Uefa in their team of the year, and some even for team of the century. You can search it on my blog and found the article on it, I covered it.

Unfortunately since 2001 we haven't really even been close to reaching the Champions League finals again, in fact it went pretty bad for Valencia CF after 2003 with sporting wise not going great and financially going even worse. Ultimately after few administration changes, after few key sells of top players we are back in the game and for the past 3 consecutive years have been qualifying for the Champions League automatically by finishing 3rd in the Spanish league. Just playing the in the groups stages has brought Valencia CF great financial benefits and two years ago for the first time in god knows how long Valencia CF actually had a profit of 16 million euros and has been in the positive ever since. But just playing in the group stages isn't cutting it anymore, heck even round of 16 isn't going to cut it anymore and Valencia CF must look into going further in the Champions League, not just for financial reasons, but for prestigious reasons and fans reasons. There hasn't been any major trophy for so long and even a semi-decent cup win in 2007 isn't going to cut it.

Right now there are absolutely no stars in the team, one could argue Soldado being a star, but I doubt it and so its more about the collective than anything else. Unai Emery is of course gone and went on to coach Spartak Moscow who did qualify for the Champions League and it would be pretty ridiculous if Emery managed to go further with Spartak Moscow than he went with Valencia CF or even what Valencia CF will do this year. Anyways we have a new coach in Mauricio Pellegrino who was part of the squad that played in both Champions League finals, so he has huge experience as a player in this competition having played twice in the final. I also believe he is part of the dream team of the decade if I'm not mistaken.

Our current players though don't have such experience, in fact most of them will play in this competition for the first time in their careers, as most are young and come from lower clubs. Some have played, but barely and some of most experienced are Soldado, jonas, Tino, Rami, Mathieu and Cissokho.

Valencia CF squad:
Goalkeepers: Diego Alves, Vicent Guaita, Felipe Ramos.
Defenders: Joao Pereira, Barragán, Rami, Víctor Ruiz, Ricardo Costa, Carlos Delgado, Cissokho.
Midfielders: Dani Parejo, Portu, Tino Costa, Viera, Guardado, Bernat, Feghouli.
Forwards: Jonas, Valdez, Soldado.

Technical Details Valencia CF (probable setups):
Formation: 4-3-3
Line-up: Guaita; Pereira, Rami, Ruiz, Cissokho; Tino, Parejo, Portu; Guardado, Soldado, Feghuoli.
Tactics: Low defensive line, own third pressure, counter attacks, mostly long wide passing, wing attacks mostly.

Match Prediction:
FC Bayern Munich 2-0 Valencia CF
Bayern Munich is going to win this easily, they play at home, they are in the best form possible, they have huge depth and talent and Valencia CF on the other hand is with several key injuries, including Gago and Albelda who can play as a defensive midfielders, so right now we have no defensive midfielder and a duo of Tino and Parejo that can't control possession even against Celta Vigo. I don't see any way how we can manage a draw, Bayern have very quick wingers and some strong and physical players to get in the penalty area and cause havoc.

Valencia squad to travel to Bayern Munich

Mauricio Pellegrino released the list of 20 players that will travel to Munich and face Bayern Munich in the Champions League this Wednesday. Absent from the list are Mathieu, Piatti, Banega, Albelda, Canales and Gago, who I hoped will be ready, since out midfield is really bad with Parejo.

Pelegrino called up three B team players to fill up the gaps, though its unlikely anyone of them will get a chance.

Valencia CF squad:
Goalkeepers: Diego Alves, Vicent Guaita, Felipe Ramos.
Defenders: Joao Pereira, Barragán, Rami, Víctor Ruiz, Ricardo Costa, Carlos Delgado, Cissokho.
Midfielders: Dani Parejo, Portu, Tino Costa, Viera, Guardado, Bernat, Feghouli.
Forwards: Jonas, Valdez, Soldado.

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Valencia CF 2-1 Celta Vigo Match Report

Valencia CF recorded its first win in the Spanish league against Celta Vigo with a result of 2-1. It was supposed to be a regular and secure victory, but Valencia CF barely escaped with the win.

Valencia CF coach Mauricio Pellegrino had some troubles in choosing the squad for this match as few players were injured, few were returning from their national teams where they played and there was a lack of a defensive midfielder. Knowing what happened last time when Parejo and Tino Costa played it was a risk to pair them both again, but the only alternative being Portu from the B team, Mauricio Pellegrino decided to field Parejo and Tino Costa at the midfield. He also gave Joao Pereira and Andres Guardado rests, while he retained Soldado and Jonas in attack and the pair of Rami and Ruiz at the back, with Jonathan Viera starting on the right wing.

The midfield operated much as anyone expected with big frailties, many mistakes in the passing and some chaotic last ditch tackles to subdue the Celta Vigo attacks. You only have to look at the ball possession to know the full story, as Valencia CF the last time I saw the ball possession statistics Valencia CF were with 48% ball possession, to 52% ball possession of Celta Vigo. Knowing that Celta Vigo is likely to fight to avoid relegation this season, we really made them look like a top team in that regard.

The flanks though were much more dangerous this time around and Viera almost immediately showed his talents by providing a great assist to Feghuoli who scored the first goal. I've said it many times, but I'll say it again Viera is pure raw talent with great vision and instincts. Feghuoli also showed good composure in front of goal and unlike in some of the previous matches was dead accurate this time around.

Celta Vigo would return the favor soon though as what would have otherwise been a non event, Diego Alves decided to basically gift them a goal to make the match more interesting. I mean he was out of position, missed the ball completely and the goal was empty for Krohn-Dehli to score. Cissokho was also partially to blame as he was slow to close down, but this shouldn't have been a goal if Diego Alves reacted in the right way.

Anyways most of the battle from then on would be in the attacking third of both teams with Celta Vigo actually having the initiative since Valencia CF couldn't control the middle and allowed to be pressured deep in its own half. Luckilly the defense was quite solid and dealt with the attack quite well.

On the other side Jonas was quite inactive with having made barely any play and for the most part being anonymous. Soldado was the more active and was involved in the play often, having several runs, few shots on and off goal and providing few crosses and passes himself.

On the wings Feghuoli was more active than in previous match and Barragan gave him huge support, going forward on every occasion. Viera on the other side was also very dangerous with few piercing passes and some shots as well. Cissokho also doubled down on the left side nicely, providing few decent crosses and beating his marker numerous times. Cissokho would also score the winning goal for Valencia CF in the second half with a powerful header after a free kick by Tino Costa.

Jonas became more visible in the second half, linking up with Soldado and Viera few times, having even one decent chance on goal, but this wasn't his game and was rightfully replaced early by Valdez. Unfortunately Valdez didn't improve over Jonas and while he ran more than Jonas, he had some suspect moments on the ball.

Overall Celta Vigo did attack more and had more ball possession, but they didn't threaten Alves too seriously and apart from few quite dangerous shots that went off goal, Alves actually had very little to do.

Ultimately it was unconvincing play by Valencia CF with only parts of the team working at a given time and the team feeling like its in the early building stages, when it shouldn't feel like that because most of the players have been here for over a year. There were some positives in defense, but then again some negatives as well, some positives in attack, but also some negatives. For example Soldado was quite engaged and had several runs on goal, but he actually missed two decent chances and could have done better, in fact he should have scored at least once. Jonas was absent this time and barely touched the ball.

Technical Details:

Valencia CF (2): Alves; Barragán, Rami, V. Ruiz, Cissokho; Feghouli, Tino Costa, Parejo, Viera (Joao Pereira, min. 77);  Jonas (Valdez, min. 66) y Soldado (Ricardo Costa, min. 93).
RC Celta Vigo (1): Javi Varas; Hugo Mallo, Cabral, Túñez, R. Lago; Álex López, Borja Oubiña; Augusto (Bermejo, min. 71), Natxo Insa (Quique de Lucas, min. 61),  Krohn-Dehli; Iago Aspas (Park, min. 71).
Goals: 1-0, 4min Feghouli; 1-1, 15min Krohn-Dehli; 2-1, 49min Cissokho.

Player Ratings:
Diego 4.5 - At fault for the goal, apart from that didn't have much to do, but was reacted nice on few shots.
Barragan 6 - Bombarded forward at every possibility, albeit leaving his flank empty few times, though didn't have trouble dealing with Celta attackers.
Rami 6.5 - Assured performance at the center of defense, actually used his strength to throw few players out of play and generally stable performance.
Ruiz 6 - Assured performance as well, maybe half a point weaker than Rami, but did well and covered nicely few times for Cissokho.
Cissokho 7 - For the most part positive performance, could have reacted better closing down for the goal and was suspect once or twice more, but did have some great interventions as well.
Tino Costa 6 - Provided the assist for the Cissokho goal, some decent ball passing and closed down fast in the middle, but the lack of ball possession hurt him.
Parejo 4.5 - Did somewhat decent in a defensive fashion, but he also gave away the ball few too many times and did provide space for the Celta midfield to put pressure on goal.
Feghuoli 6.5 - Improved over the past matches, scored a goal and was more dangerous, but still lacks that penetrative ability.
Jonas 5.5 - Invisible for most of the match, improved a little in the second half and tried few passes and shots, but they were ineffective and substituted early for Valdez.
Viera 7 - I liked his performance, he provided the assist for the first goal, it was amazing pass to find Feghuoli alone on goal. He was consistently active and dangerous, going numerous times in the penalty area, having few shots and provided some good piercing passes. Went on occasions out of play and obviously needs more playing time if he is to improve and become even better.
Soldado 6.5 - Very dangerous, very active, had several runs on goal, few shoots and was involved in the build-up play and wing play often. Too bad he couldn't score a goal.
Subs:
Valdez 5.5 - Not an improvement over Jonas and lost few balls trying to dribble or pass, quite clumsy on the ball, though he ran more and even covered defensively.
Joao Pereira N/A - not enough time
Ricardo Costa N/A - not enough time

Valencia CF vs Celta Vigo Match Preview

Valencia CF vs Celta Vigo

Stadium: Mestalla

Date: 15.09.2012; 18:00 CET

4th matchday, La Liga

Coaches: Mauricio Pellegrino and Paco Herrera

Valencia CF

Valencia CF is coming to this match after a loss to Barcelona and with only 2 points from three played matches. Just as a reminder Valencia CF went to a great start to the season with a draw against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, but then stumbled at the Mestalla against Deportivo, against who we dropped a 2 goals lead in the first half and only managed a draw, before loosing, albeit some would say unfairly to Barcelona, with one very suspect decision by the linesman disallowing a clear goal as offside.

Anyways we can't dwell on a refereeing decision and live in the past so we must look towards out next match which is against Celta Vigo and Valencia must look to win, its that simple. We are now over the two biggest obstacles in the league in Real Madrid and Barcelona and at their stadiums nonetheless, but tomorrow is a must win situation before things get messy, at the least.

Celta Vigo is going to be a tough opponent that's for sure and with Valencia experiencing trouble with injuries its probably going to spell another partnership between Tino Costa and Daniel Parejo in the middle of the park. We all know what happened last time when the pair played together, so this is a major concern for tomorrows game. David Albelda got injured earlier and will be out for about a month, so our only pure defensive midfielder in injured and out for a month and the second player that could play as a defensive midfielder decently Gago, well he got injured as well in his last match for Argentina, after an opposing player fell on his head. Also injured are Jeremy Mathieu and Pablo Piatti.

Mauricio Pellegrino called up Portu and Gaya from the B team, Portu is a defensive midfielder, while Gaya is a left back or a left wing. Its difficult predicting what the coach is going to do, since he is so new and I know I would have trouble choosing the midfield duo after the disastrous result last time, but I mean is a B team player better than Parejo? I really feel for Pellegrino, he is already under pressure and the Spanish Valencia fans aren't known for being patient. I mean he didn't get a pure defensive midfielder in the summer transfer window, he only has 3 defenders and Pablo Hernandez left in the last days of the transfer window. As if that wasn't enough the main back-up for the right wing Piatti got injured and will be out for at least a month.

Whatever the case may be though everyone will be expecting a win tomorrow and nothing less. I expect a win, you expect a win and realistically so, as Valencia CF has quality and our attack has been very potent between Jonas and Soldado, Valdez seems very energetic when he's on the terrain. The problem though is both the wings haven't fired up yet, Feghuoli is a shadow from last season and Guarado hasn't shown even a glimpse from his Deportivo form, so they need to step up their game immensely at this point. 

The midfield without Albelda and Gago is a problem as well, and as I've said its going to be a problem for Pellegrino to choose. Celta Vigo isn't known for their midfield prowess or close, but neither were Deportivo and they looked like a top team playing against us in that second half.

Valencia CF squad:

Goalkeepers: Diego Alves, Guaita.
Defenders: Barragán, Rami, Víctor Ruiz, Ricardo Costa, Cissokho, Pereira.
Midfielders: Dani Parejo, Tino Costa, Gayá, Portu, Bernat, Guardado, Feghouli, Viera.
Forwards: Valdez, Jonas i Soldado.

Celta Vigo

Celta Vigo on the other hand come after a home win against Osasuna. This was an important win for Celta Vigo as it had two defeats previously at the hands of Malaga and Real Sociedad and win the last match win they are now 13th on the table. Celta Vigo is likely to fight to avoid relegation this season and as such they are going to be looking at getting a point from the match against Valencia CF.

Celta Vigo are coming from the second division after they've finished second last season behind Deportivo La Coruna. They are coming to the first division after a long pause, basically since 2006/7 when they were knocked down to the second division.

One of their better known players is Hugo Mallo who's been linked with Valencia CF on several occasions, especially last season, but this season as well. Other than that, there is Javi Varas the goalkeeper who is on loan at Celta from Sevilla.

Celta Vigo squad: to be announced...

Technical Details Valencia CF (probable setups):
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Line-up: Diego; Pereira, Rami, Ruiz, Cissokho; Parejo, Tino Costa; Feghuoli, Jonas, Guardado; Soldado.
Tactics: High defensive line, own half pressure, counterattacking, mostly short wide passing, deep laying central midfield.

Results Prediction:
Valencia CF 2-0 Celta Vigo
There are no more excuses left and Valencia CF must win against Celta Vigo. Mauricio Pellegrino is already under pressure and anything but win will surely start the alarm bells for many. He also knows what to expect from the players by now and knows them well enough to be able to make smarter decision so I'm expecting a regular win tomorrow that shouldn't have any surprises.

Interview with Corey from realmadridfootballblog

Hey everyone, I've interviewed Corey from www.realmadridfootballblog.com and he is a Real Madrid supporter for about 12 years. He is also the creator of the website above and along with few other people write primarily reports and editorials about Real Madrid.

• How long have you been a supporter of Real Madrid and what prompted you to become one?
I have been a supporter for twelve years now, and what prompted me to be a supporter is a combination of the first ever live soccer game I saw on television between Real Madrid and Valencia in the Champions League final, and the first soccer game I got for the Playstation, FIFA 2002 where I chose Real Madrid to play as because I saw that game. As an impressionable 12 year old I was quite taken with the white uniforms, star players and huge stadium. As I got a little older I started my research on the club and after reading as much as I could it further cemented that I was a Madridista. I started blogging about Real Madrid five years, which is a whole other story.

• Are you a fan of any other clubs?
I enjoy teams that play the brand of football I subscribe too. Borussia Dortmund and Lyon have always had a soft spot in my heart as they were both strong and attractive clubs right around the time I became a supporter of Real Madrid. Luckily Dortmund has returned to that tradition, while Lyon is in a transitional phase. It is interesting because Lyon in the 2000s looked like Dortmund in the 1990s, so with the resurgence of Dortmund due to sound financial management and a focus on the youth team, Lyon may surprise people again in a few years.

• How long have you been writing about Real Madrid?
Five years, first at the Offside (now defunct) before it was bought up by a sports blog conglomerate. I launch Real Madrid Football Blog a year and a half ago and I think it has been a great success and a whole lot of fun

• Last season Real Madrid won the Spanish League after a noteworthy pause, what was your reaction and what do you think were the key reasons for it?
My first reaction was one of joy, as it had been a frustrating drought, especially when the title goes to Barcelona. My second reaction, as most Madridista’s probably had, was to think of La Decima. Finally, I settled on the fact that Mourinho’s tenure has been stable, has produced titles, and is slowly but surely giving chances to academy players, while making necessary but not totally extravagant signings. Overall I am satisfied, but once we get more youth team players in the squad and reach La Decima I will be overjoyed.

• Real Madrid had a rather bad start to the season, with only 1 point out of 2 matches, though after the Super Cup win they seem to have bounced up. Was this just a rare temporary hiccup or are there more deep underlying problems?
I watched both games, and the Valencia game was close and a point given the difficult rival and the newness of the season seemed fine. The Getafe lose was tough to stomach, but they always ride us close at their stadium, and the team looked a little short on ideas. Mourinho’s substitutions did not help, but it happens. We did not start last season well either but we recovered. I would rather hammer out the kinks now than when the Champions League group stage begins and we have two tough games per week.

• How does this season’s Real Madrid team compare to last season’s and what are the key differences?
The key difference is Modric, but the Ronaldo drama may prove otherwise. Loosing Granero was a bit of a blow, and if Modric is used further forward there is still the issue of giving rest to Xabi Alonso. The defence looks settled, as does the rest of the team, but Mourinho seems to think the creativity of Ozil can often be subdued in certain types of games so he has another type of player to help with the heavy load. I think the team is stronger, but I would have liked to have kept Carvajal as backup to Arbeloa, who is an obvious weak spot, and hopefully Morata, Nacho and Alex will see some time.

• Kaka and more recently Cristiano Ronaldo seem to have some problems with the club, what would you say the reasons for this are and what are the solutions?
I think in Kaka’s case, his body never recovered from his knee injuries in the same way Ronaldo Fenomeno never fully recovered his physical prowess after his multiple knee injuries. Ronaldo Fenomeno was able to still be productive for a few more seasons, but in Kaka’s instance, he came in to a difficult situation where he was not the main player the team was built around, nor was he a guaranteed starter. To me he has failed to psychologically get passed this, and his performances have wavered between tolerable and awful. It is not easy when your coach is not 100% behind you and the fans get on you, but his flirting with moves away has not helped. I never saw the need for both Kaka and Cristiano, so if we were to offload Kaka it would not bother me.

Cristiano’s situation is odd, but I do think he will get the pay increase he wants and surely warrants. Not sure what the wait is, but there is some deception from the agent at hand I am sure, and the complicated nature of his contract may be hard to sort out, much like how Kaka’s move to Milan was not feasible due to tax concerns. It is obvious Cristiano is the most important member of the team, so give him what he wants.

• Real Madrid has two great strikers in Benzema and Higuain, who would you say should be the starter?
Higuain, as he has proven time and again he can get the job done, but there are situations where Benzema’s movement off the ball and link up with others is more useful. His finishing is still not what it should be, but the nice thing is that there is truly room for both.

• Do you think RM sold/released too many players this transfer season and lack depth now and what are the alternatives to Ronaldo, Ozil, Xabi and Arbeloa?
I was hoping they would hold on to Granero, and moving Lass to Anzhi and bringing in Essien seems like a downgrade to me. Carvalho is technically out of the picture as well, while as I said earlier, Carvajal could have been a real asset. Arbeloa’s alternative looks to be Nacho, while Ozil will share time with Modric, and hopefully Modric fills in for Xabi as well. Ronaldo does not really need an alternative, but using Benzema or Di Maria there is adequate coverage. More will be expected from Callejon if that situation arises. Not sure where Essien fits in given Khedira is a much better player at this point in their respective careers, and Kaka is an outsider as well.

• Who would you say is Real Madrid’s most influential player and the weakest player?
Our weakest player is probably Arbeloa, but he is a hell of a competitor and really boosts team morale being as vocal as he is. Pepe’s penchant for full blooded challenges makes him a weakness as well, while I do think Xabi’s powers are declining and that is of concern. The most influential player has to be Cristiano, but Xabi makes the team tick so he should be considered influential and Saint Iker is a living legend at this point.

• Who is going to be Real Madrid’s key player this season?
Tough to say given the early season issues with Ronaldo. I would like to see more starts and goals out of both Higuain and Di Maria, while Sergio Ramos continues to be a rock at the back.

• What would you say are the strengths and weaknesses of your team this season?
Strength wise the attack is just as sharp and the addition of Modric adds another dimension. A weakness would be the lack of variation in central midfielder amongst the players, and the right back situation is tricky, while Albiol does not instill confidence as a backup anymore.

• Any young players to watch out for that could be on a “break-out year”?
Morata is practically a first team player at this point so he could have a break out year, while Nacho is fourth choice center back at this point. If the situation arises, several Castilla players could get call ups to fill out the squad, but I think Jese has star power along with Morata. I would hope Raul De Tomas and Jose Rodriguez get some time training with the first team as they both look like tidy players.

• Can Real Madrid win this season’s Champions League, what would be the biggest obstacles in doing so and what about the Spanish cup?
I think that give the group we have drawn, it will be very difficult. But if Real can survive the group, they should be mentally prepared to go all the way. The beauty of the Champions League is that you face the best teams of Europe on the way to becoming champion. That has not always been the case, but this year that is how Real Madrid will start its campaign. The Spanish Cup I think will once again become a low priority, and I would like to see some Castilla players get time in these games once again. But it is a trophy up for grabs and will not be taken to lightly!

• How good do you think Valencia will do this season? Is it feasible to think that Valencia could win the Spanish championship or at least challenge Barcelona and Real Madrid?
It depends how you view ‘challenging’ Real and Barcelona. I have plenty of doubts about Pellegrino, who has very little experience, but Valencia has a good squad and played both Barca and Real close early in the season. Valencia usually has trouble keeping pace through the winter months, and with a Champions League campaign to also consider, I fear the same will happen again. The squad is deep as usual, but often the depth is not trusted.

• What do you think are Valencia’s strengths and weaknesses?
Depth is certainly one, and they have quality in all of their lines. Victor Ruiz has improved since joining from Napoli and I expect a national team spot for him soon. Rami is physically strong but also error prone, while the midfield and forward lines are of high quality. There are several players to name, but Soldado, Feghouli and Jonas certainly stand out, while Banega returning will be a big boost. I do not rate Fernando Gago at all, but he may be an upgrade over the aging Albelda, and Guardado will cover his flank well.

In terms of a weakness I would say the full backs, particularly Mathieu and Cissokho on the left are prone to errors and questionable attitude, probably why Guardado was required as he will shield them well. However Joao Perreria looks to be a very solid player on the right, a huge upgrade over Miguel and Bruno from seasons past.

• Who do you think will win the Champions League and Europa League this season?
The Champions League to me will be between Real Madrid and Juventus. I think Barcelona will come up a little short given Tito Villanova’s lack of experience here, although in the league Barcelona will be stronger than last year. Juventus looks incredibly strong this season even without their head coach being able to sit on the bench, while a dark horse could be Bayern Munich as they always do well in this competition.

The Europa League is impossible to predict and I cannot with certainty say who would win it, but I would say there are some teams with great pedigree like Lyon, Inter Milan, Sporting and PSV that have done well in the competition before. Besides that group, Anzhi, Napoli, and last year’s finalists Atletico and Athletic will be in the mix as well, and although I do not rate them, Liverpool are a big side for this competition. With so many teams in the mix you would be wise to wait until the first knockout round to pick a winner, its just to unpredictable.

I'd like to thank Corey again for taking the time to answer my questions, I really apreciate it and once again you can find Corey's articles about Real Madrid at www.realmadridfootballblog.com

Champions League fantasy football

I've set up a league for Fantasy Football. Click the link to join, or enter the code: 584265-431055 http://en.uclfantasy.uefa.com/UEFA/15804/userentry.do?privateCodefromMinileague=584265-431055&privateC=true

Also David Albelda got injured two days ago in a training session and he's been ruled out now for at least 3 weeks, probably a month.

Fernando Gago who got injured in the match against Peru though he is fine as his injuries have been ruled minor and there doesn't seem to be any lasting issue. He will probably miss the match against Celta though, as he was kept in hospitals for 12 hours and then had two more analysis in different hospitals.

I think there is time for him to return and feature for Valencia CF, but the doctors want him to see a neurologist, so he will likely miss the match. Hopefully we'll have him for the Champions League match, as right now apart from Gago, who isn't even a DM, but at least has some defensive skills, we have no real DM. Pellegrinho may try and play Victor Ruiz there as he has shows he has some good passing skills and he can tackle great, though we'll see what the coach decides.

Valencia CF players on national duty

Last night all of the World Cup qualifiers were played and Valencia CF had several players called to their national teams.

Portugal won against Azerbaijan and Joao Pereira stared and played the full 90 minutes in the game. Judging from the ratings he had a poor game once again, just like in the previous game against Luxemburg. I didn't see any of the games, but if that is the case, he needs to improve his game. Ricardo Costa didn't feature.

Diego Alves started once again on goal for Brazil against China and had a good game, albeit with not much work, but he kept a clean sheet twice. Jonas came in as a sun for Neymar and had a fairly decent game, though he clearly lacks understanding with his team mates.

As I reported yesterday Roberto Soldado started for Spain and played for the whole match, scoring the one and only goal for Spain in the 86th minute. He wasn't very noticeable before that, but was always surrounded by defenders and Georgia defended with 10 men.

Adil Rami didn't start for France and as I've told you in the last report about this, he has likely lost his place or at least in the process of doing so. Some not so stellar performance for France in the European Cup, some outright bad performances for Spain and he has found himself warming the bench. He needs to improve his game immensely or he may also be on the way out of Valencia CF as well.

Fernando Gago played about 50 minutes for Argentina and had a good match, but he seemed to be injured when an opposing player fell on his head and he was rushed to the hospital, but it seems the injury is not severe and after a day or two of rest he should be fine.

Andres Guardado started the both matches for Mexico, both of which Mexico won. He also provided an assist in the first match. Wasn't as proficient in the second match.