Valencia CF

2006-07 season
Manager	Quique Sánchez Flores
Stadium	Mestalla Stadium
La Liga	4th
Champions League	Quarter-finals
Copa del Rey	Round of 16
Top goalscorer	League: David Villa (16) All: David Villa (20)
Home colours Away colours Third colours
←  2005–06 2007–08 →

During the 2006–07 Spanish football season, Valencia CF competed in La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the UEFA Champions League.

Overview

Valencia made significant changes for the season, with coach Quique Sánchez Flores and technical director Amedeo Carboni overhauling the squad. Players who did not fit in the current playing system, such as Marco Di Vaio, Bernardo Corradi, Pablo Aimar, Rufete, and Mista, were some of those who were sold, while Fábio Aurélio signed for Liverpool (reuniting with former Valencia manager Rafael Benítez) after refusing an extension to his contract. To strengthen the squad, Valencia signed Joaquin, Asier del Horno, Fernando Morientes and Francesco Tavano, as well as recalling David Silva and Jaime Gavilán from loan spells, and promoting several youngsters from the Valencia B squad. The club's transfer activity was not wholly successful, however: the club failed in an attempt to sign Benfica winger Simão, while veteran defender Roberto Ayala expressed his desire to sign for rivals Villarreal.

Valencia started the season strongly, winning their first three Champions League matches, against Olympiacos, Roma and Shakhtar Donetsk. The team qualified to pass on to the next round in a 2–2 draw against Shaktar on Matchday Four. On 15 December, Valencia were drawn to play against Italian champions Inter Milan in the last 16 of the Champions League, with the first leg scheduled to take place on 21 February. In La Liga, Valencia started the season with victories against Real Betis, Atlético Madrid, Getafe and Gimnàstic de Tarragona, along with a creditable draw with reigning Liga champions Barcelona. As of 1 October, Valencia were second, behind Barcelona on goal difference. However, they went through a slump in November which caused them to slip up in the league. The first of six winless matches started with a 1–0 defeat to Racing de Santander. This poor run was attributed to injuries to key players like captain David Albelda, midfielder Rubén Baraja, wingers Jaime Gavilán and Vicente, defenders Carlos Marchena and Asier del Horno and forward Francesco Tavano. Despite all these worries, the team is made a strong comeback, winning their last three matches before the winter break (against Deportivo de La Coruña, Real Zaragoza and Mallorca).

Squad

Squad at end of season ^[1]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK   ESP Santiago Cañizares 2 DF   POR Miguel 3 DF   ESP Asier del Horno 4 DF   ARG Roberto Ayala 5 DF   ESP Carlos Marchena 6 MF   ESP David Albelda ( captain) 7 FW   ESP David Villa 8 MF   ESP Rubén Baraja 9 FW   ESP Fernando Morientes 10 FW   ESP Miguel Ángel Angulo 11 MF   URU Mario Regueiro 13 GK   ESP Juan Luis Mora 14 MF   ESP Vicente 15 MF   ESP Joaquín 16 MF   POR Hugo Viana 17 DF   ESP David Navarro 18 MF   ESP Jorge López 19 MF   ESP Jaime Gavilán 20 MF   ESP Raúl Albiol

No. Pos. Nation Player 21 MF   ESP David Silva 22 MF   BRA Edu 23 DF   ESP Curro Torres 24 DF   ITA Emiliano Moretti 25 GK   FRA Ludovic Butelle 26 DF   ESP Cerra 27 MF   ESP Pablo Hernández 28 MF   ESP Natxo Insa 29 DF   ESP David Córcoles 30 MF   ESP Aarón 31 MF   ESP Miguel Pallardó 32 DF   ESP Cristian Castells 33 DF   ESP Berna 34 FW   ESP Javi Guerra 35 GK   ESP Vicente Guaita 36 MF   ESP Ángel Montoro 37 DF   ESP Álex Vaquero 38 MF   ESP Vicente Romero 39 MF   ESP Carles

Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 12 MF   ITA Stefano Fiore (on loan to Torino)

No. Pos. Nation Player 12 FW   ITA Francesco Tavano (on loan to Roma)

Transfers

In

• Fernando Morientes – Liverpool
• David Silva – Celta Vigo, loan return
• Jaime Gavilán – Getafe, loan return
• Stefano Fiore – Fiorentina, loan return
• Javier Garrido Ramírez – Albacete, loan return
• Asier del Horno – Chelsea
• Francesco Tavano – Empoli
• Joaquín – Real Betis

Out

• Marco Di Vaio – Monaco
• Amedeo Carboni – retired
• Fábio Aurélio – Liverpool
• José Enrique – Villarreal
• Fabián Estoyanoff – Deportivo, loan
• Marco Caneira – Sporting CP, loan
• Bernardo Corradi – Manchester City
• Francisco Rufete – Espanyol
• Mista – Atlético Madrid
• Pablo Aimar – Real Zaragoza
• Javier Garrido Ramírez – Lorca Deportiva
• Patrick Kluivert – PSV
• Stefano Fiore – Torino

Results

La Liga

References