Barça arrives at Mestalla just when Valencia has it most difficult. It is not that it has been an impregnable field in the last six years, when it has chained historic goals, but it is always difficult to face the atmosphere of the old stadium that is saying goodbye. They left the last visit defeated (3-1), already as champion and looking to the World Cup, although the scenario is both the same and different: Valencia is once again hovering around the relegation spots, has only added one point and "shameful" games and has barely reinforced itself in the market with nine million investments. No decisive player has arrived.
Carlos Corberán has already heard requests for resignation, yes, with the renewal until 2028, and the diagnosis of the football CEO, the Scotsman Ron Gourlay, is that "good decisions" have been made, that the team has improved and that he has confidence in Corberán. Exactly the opposite reading to that made by the fans, who cross their fingers at least not to see a rout that stings even more.
Valencia was one point away from Europe last season, as Gourlay boasts, who prefers to forget that permanence was not guaranteed until the penultimate matchday. Their signings have been, for free, a center back from the Portuguese second team, De Haas, now injured, and a 27-year-old midfielder who played in Egypt, Dieng. They are joined by Sato, a young promise of Japanese football, and Arnau Martínez. Those nine million have been paid for them. They are complemented by the loans of a goalkeeper, Van Oevelen, full-back Pablo Maffeo and Liverpool's British player, Harvey Elliot. On the last day of the market, and after Sadiq's long-term injury, a striker did not arrive. The Nigerian was as important in the final stretch of last season as Guido Rodríguez, a free addition but also injured to receive Barcelona.
The captain, José Luis Gayà, may not be in the eleven either, whom Corberán has made a substitute in the last year of his contract and when the club has made him a renewal offer that borders on the offensive on the table. In that locker room there is a gap between some players and a coach, who cannot find the formula to close it with victories because, among other reasons, he barely has quality players to achieve it and, in addition, injuries force him to look for repairs. If last year it was difficult to close a "decent" season - Gourlay's words -, this year the circus demands an 'even more difficult' season.
Lamine's doubt and the moment of Gabriel Jesús
Celta, Betis and Deportivo showed the seams and ignited a fan that, from some sectors, has been called to stay off the field for at least the first 19 minutes of the match against the current League champion. Barça arrives with the doubt of Lamine Yamal, who did not train yesterday but Hansi Flick made him travel along with the rest of the squad. Gabriel Jesús did it too. Although the German confessed that he is not 100%, he warned that he may have minutes "in the second half."
The one who will appear in the eleven, and with the knife between his teeth, is Raphinha, a number 9 who has shown his scoring fang in this new position and who Flick considers so vital that he has made him, by his own choice, captain, followed by Pedri, Eric García, De Jong and Lamine.
