Last-place Valencia focused on helping victims of the deadly floods in Spain
Amid one of its worst starts to a Spanish league and with its Singaporean owner enduring continued criticism by its fans, Valencia has had to turn its focus away from soccer.
The club is concentrated on helping those affected by the massive flash floods in the area that have killed more than 150 people in the worst natural disaster to hit Spain this century.
Valencia’s Mestalla Stadium, where the team was scheduled to host defending league champion Real Madrid on Saturday, has become a place to help the flood victims.
The game against Madrid was postponed on Thursday, as was the matchup between Villarreal and Rayo Vallecano. Three second-division matches scheduled to be played in the Valencia region were also postponed.
Valencia's game at Parla Escuela in the first round of the Copa del Rey was moved from Wednesday to Nov. 6. Other Copa matches in the region this week also were postponed.
“Valencia FC deem this the most appropriate measure due to the terrible consequences of (this) weather phenomenon experienced in the Valencia region, recommendations to avoid travel and the cut-off in communication to Madrid,” the club said after the Copa match was postponed.
Before the team practice on Wednesday, the squad observed a moment of silence at its training center in honor of the victims. Some of the team's players were absent because of the transportation difficulties caused by the storms.
The club said it joined forces with the Valencia Food Bank, and its stadium became “a deposit for food and basic needs.”
“Mestalla will be at the service of the city to cope with the emergency caused by the (floods)."
The death toll was expected to rise as an unknown number of people were still missing. Search efforts were ongoing and some vehicles with bodies were yet to be reached. The aftermath of the floods from late Tuesday to early Wednesday looked eerily similar to the damage left by a hurricane or tsunami, with cars piled up alongside uprooted trees and downed power lines.
Before the storms, Valencia was preparing to face a tough period of matches that began with Madrid’s visit and then a trip to Espanyol and a game against sixth-placed Real Betis.
Valencia was in last place with only one victory in 11 La Liga matches, and the ire of the majority of its fans with owner Peter Lim reaching new depths.
Fans have long been upset with Lim, accusing him of treating the club solely as a business endeavor and not caring about the sporting results or its supporters. Thousands protested outside the Mestalla this month, many carrying familiar signs of “Lim Go Home.”
Some of the protests got out of hand last week after the team lost at home to Las Palmas, a team that hadn’t won in La Liga in 23 consecutive matches. Fans confronted police and caused damage around the Mestalla.
Valencia’s only league win was in September against Girona. Since then, the team coached by Ruben Baraja has three draws and two losses.
Valencia won its last Liga title in 2004 and finished ninth last season. Its last Copa del Rey title was in 2019.
Reeling Real Madrid
Madrid's squad — and most Spanish clubs — also observed a moment of silence before training. Carlo Ancelotti's team was preparing for the match against Valencia, looking to rebound from the humbling 4-0 loss at home to Barcelona in last weekend's clasico.
Its next match will be on Tuesday, again at the Bernabeu, against AC Milan in the Champions League.
Liga leader Barcelona hosts city rival Espanyol on Sunday. Hansi Flick's team, which has a six-point lead over second-placed Madrid, has scored 21 goals and conceded two in its last five matches in all competitions.
Espanyol, sitting just above the relegation zone, is coming off two consecutive losses.
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