Albelda to Leave Valencia

This past weekend long time Valencia stalwart and captain, David Albelda, announced that it is almost certain he will be leaving Valencia at the end of the season. To many Valencia fans this may come as a shock emotionally, but not logically. The two-time Champions League finalist has been with Valencia for 15 years and has seen the club hit all time highs and lows. Albelda won two La Liga trophies, one UEFA Cup, one Copa Del Rey tournament, and was runner-up twice in the Champions League. Contrasting this with his near retirement five years ago during the Koeman era, in which being frozen out of the squad but not allowed to transfer clubs nearly brought him to blows with the club he lovingly called home; Albelda has seen it all. Once a key fixture in midfield, the veteran has been forced to watch from the bench for the last four years, something a player with his pedigree cannot tolerate.

The rollercoaster ride that was Albelda’s stint at Valencia has finally become too much for the experienced midfielder. In a press conference Friday, Albelda announced that he was “95% certain” he would not be a Valencia player in the coming season. Albelda sited that he felt “psychologically burnt out” and his lack of playing time as reasons for not wanting to continue at the club. 

 

Anyone who knows everything Albelda has savored and suffered at the club will understand his desire to ply his trade elsewhere. Having been a part of the most successful Valencia squad since the Kempes era, only to find yourself on the bench and nearly forced out of the team all together only years later would take its toll on any player. In fact, one could argue that Albelda has put up with more than any player in the modern game would for the love of his club. Certainly, asking the Valencia legend to waste away the twilight years of his career is a bridge too far, and letting the player leave comfortably and with his honor intact is not only right, it is the least the club can do.

Perhaps a bit comforting is Albelda’s desire to go abroad. In his press conference, Albelda stated that he had no desire to stay in Spain and that, should he leave Valencia, he would want to try playing elsewhere. And honestly, that’s just what Albelda needs. In Spain speed and skill is king, with physical play taking a backseat, often penalized more than anything. Albelda doesn’t have the legs anymore to be a quick player, and he was never a particularly skilled player to begin with. No, Albelda is, and always will be, a midfield hard-man; something in short supply in Spain, and indeed, undervalued. However, Albelda’s lack of pace keeps him from starting games in which he will inevitably give away fouls and accumulate yellow cards. Instead, in Valencia at least, he’s been brought in at the end of games to keep the defense together and seal up a victory. Moving to a more physical league, like England, might suit him better. In England, where physical play is king, he can ram players to his heart’s content. Or perhaps Italy, where defensive playing is more highly treasured and where his holding abilities will be put to the best use. Midlevel clubs at either of these two leagues would be chuffed to get a player like Albelda, so the option are there for him. Age, of course, is always going to be a stumbling block, however, and at 35 the veteran midfielder might have trouble finding the rewarding contract he is looking for. However, Italy is the oldest league in Europe, so who knows, perhaps there is hope for him yet. And let us never forget the good old MLS. Yes it may be ten steps down from playing in Valencia, but it has become a favored retirement plan for many of football’s aging greats. Given the right contract, Albelda may well move stateside over the summer.

This news is sure to be jarring for many Valencia fans. The last true great Valencia player, a player of a lost era in not only Valencia’s footballing history, but indeed all of Spain’s, is finally saying his goodbyes. We all know it’s time he left, and perhaps he should have left years ago, for his own sake, but our captain stayed. Albelda never abandoned the club he loved, even when at times it seemed as though it had abandoned him. Now, with his contract ending, he will travel abroad, leaving behind only a legend as he joins those mythic figures of Cañizares, Mendieta, Baraja, Aimar, Ayala, and all the rest in Valencia lore. Best of luck to you, David, and thank you for all the love, support, and skill that you have given the club these last 15 years. Amunt!

written by David Wall