Neville's Valencia take on Real Madrid on Sunday night
There is a tradition among Spanish players and managers when interviewed around New Year – they pose for photographs grinning from ear to ear with a flute of champagne in their hand. Gary Neville respectfully declined the opportunity to keep up that tradition when he sat down with national press last week.
Valencia have nothing to toast right now and he knows it. He is winning admirers but not football matches. Discounting a second-leg cup victory against third-tier opposition, Neville’s record as manager is lost two, drawn two in three league games and one Champions League match.
Today he faces Rafa Benitez, who has won his last two games with Real Madrid 10-2 and 3-1, but his name is whistled when announced at the Santiago Bernabeu and many supporters want him out, replaced by Zinedine Zidane.
“I’m not sure having faced him many times before will help me,” Neville told The Independent on Sunday onThursday after Valencia lost the local derby 1-0 to Villarreal. “This Real Madrid team has little in common with Benitez’s Liverpool.”
That is part of Benitez’s problem – his career highlights have come when he has moulded down-to-earth professionals into an unfaltering machine capable of churning out victories, often against sides with more individual talent. Now he has the talent, but fostering selfless team spirit is proving difficult.
Neville has no such problems at Valencia, where the players are running for each other and there are no old dogs who think they cannot be taught any new tricks. “If it was a group of senior players who did not want to learn or work hard it would be a lot harder,” he said.
He has talked a good game despite not speaking the language and has not missed a trick to talk up the club’s calibre and history. “I had spoken on the television [as a pundit] about the lack of opportunities at home and abroad for young English coaches,” he said. “I would have lost credibility had I rejected Valencia.”
He has also told Valencia supporters they have every right to demand the team finish in the top four but it will not be easy. There is no money to spend in the transfer window. As key players such as goalkeeper Diego Alves, defender Shkodran Mustafi and forward Sofiane Feghouli return and the fixtures get a little easier – Eibar and Villarreal away and Real Madrid at home was not the kindest of starts – things should improve.
He has taken out a two-year lease on his new Valencia home – 18 months longer than his six-month contract with the club – and he has distanced himself from the Manchester United and England jobs. All of this has further endeared him to the supporters but he knows he needs wins to really win them over.
Real Madrid are still stinging from defeats to Barcelona and Villarreal, but in Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo they have players who can win games single-handedly. One is a former team-mate of Neville’s and the other he will have thought about stopping in his capacity as England coach. But, as with rival manager Benitez, none of that familiarity is likely to help him much today.
Valencia vs Real Madrid, La Liga 2015-16: Match Preview
Los Blancos try to take advantage of Barcelona's draw against Espanyol.
Several weeks ago, FC Barcelona drew at the Camp Nou against Deportivo de la Coruña and Real Madrid could not cut their lead in the table because Los Blancos ended up losing 1-0 at El Madrigal to a very solid Villarreal team. This time, Benítez and his men will have another chance to keep the race for the Liga BBVA title alive after Messi and Co. did not do enough to beat Espanyol. Mestalla awaits.
Valencia have not been very good this season and they even fired coach Nuno Espirito Santo a month ago. Gary Neville took over hoping to turn things around but they have not beaten a single opponent other than Segunda División B's Barakaldo in the Copa del Rey. Neville is trying to make a relevant player out of Negredo and Rodrigo De Paul is also getting good minutes. Those two players could very well start against Real Madrid if reports from Spain are accurate.
Defensive anchor Shkodran Mustafi will not be available and that's why Neville might be forced to play with three center backs and two offensive full backs in Barragán and Cancelo. This lineup could be problematic for Madrid if Valencia decide to sit back and wait for some counterattacking opportunities given the poor transition defense displayed by Real Madrid throughout the entire season.
Benítez will have Varane, Ramos and Pepe available so Nacho will almost surely sit on the bench after starting the last few matches. If everyone is healthy, Varane and Ramos are expected to start but Pepe's status within the roster and his experience could ultimately give him the spot alongside the unquestionable Sergio Ramos.
A good physical presence like Casemiro could be needed in the midfield, but Benítez will not leave one player out of Kroos, Modric, James, Bale, Ronaldo and Benzema on the bench to make room for the Brazilian box to box. The final decision could define the game and no matter what Benítez decides to do, it will surely be a controversial call if Real Madrid can't get a win.
This will also be Benítez's return to Valencia. The Spanish manager is arguably one of the most successful managers to ever coach Valencia after winning two league titles and a UEFA Cup more than a decade ago.
One way or another, this match could seal Benítez's fate as Real Madrid's coach. Barça's draw has put some pressure on Los Blancos and if they don't deliver and play poorly, Florentino Pérez could sack Benítez after weeks of unceasing rumors.
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