Why Valencia will be the team to watch in La Liga this season

Valencia have the potential to be an exciting team in La Liga this season, as they seek to build on their best points total since 2014-15.

For a few weeks last season, it appeared La Liga was going to have a new team at the summit, for the first time in over a decade.

As far into the season as December, Valencia were considered genuine contenders, not losing in their first 15 matches, including beating Sevilla 4-0, Real Betis 6-3 and Malaga 5-0.

Barcelona ultimately won the title, but along with regular top-three stalwarts Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, Valencia were the next best team come the end of season, jumping up the league standings having finished 12th in the previous two campaigns.

Valencia are unlikely to win La Liga next season, such is the quality of Barcelona and Real Madrid, in particular, but will certainly be a team to watch.

Manager Marcelino already has one year under his belt at the Mestalla, so knows his squad and his surroundings well.

They have returned to the Champions League, facilitating transfers such as Geoffrey Kondogbia from Inter Milan and Mouctar Diakhaby from Lyon, and there’s a feel-good factor surrounding the club after some difficult recent times and scrapes with potential relegation.

Having taken previous club Villarreal to the Europa League semifinal, as well as three consecutive top-six finishes, Marcelino has won 57 percent of his matches at Valencia, and will be hoping to at least match that this time around.

Valencia had previously had six managers in two years, including Gary Neville’s disastrous spell in Spain, but their new-found stability should ensure they can compete.

Marcelino is one of the most exciting coaches in the world, and has been able to implement an free-flowing style of play. Couple that with high-quality individuals, and you achieve a winning combination, and one worth watching.

Along with defensively solid players such as Jose Gaya and Ezequiel Garay, Marcelino has interesting attackers in the form of youngsters Nacho Gil and Santi Mina, not to mention forwards Rodrigo and Simone Zaza.

Nacho Gil, brother of former Aston Villa midfielder Carles Gil, is a typically Spanish, technically gifted dribbler and passer, with his guile and vision overcoming a lack of out-and-out pace.

At 22, he could be about to ignite having made 14 appearances in the league last season; he’ll be expecting to feature a lot more in the coming campaign.

Santi Mina offers more pace, skill and numbers in terms of goals. He too is just 22, but is far more experienced than Gil and got 12 league goals last season, playing as more of a number 9 than a winger at times.

Over the course of his career to date, he has played more than 130 professional, top-level games, and averages a goal every four in that time, which at such a young age is impressive for someone often deployed in a wide role.

Rodrigo was part of the Spanish World Cup squad having scored 16 La Liga goals last season and a further three in the Copa Del Rey, and offers craft and movement up top.

Zaza, meanwhile, has resurrected his career after a dismal period at West Ham. He notched 13 league goals last season and could well kick on again.

Whether last season’s surprise package in La Liga can surpass what they achieved last season is debatable given the quality ahead of them in the Liga pecking order, but having a similarly impressive season would be progress in itself. Valencia have not been known for consistency since they won the title back in 2004.

Add in a decent run in the Champions League, and Valencia supporters would be more than happy with that, as would the hierarchy and Marcelino.

They might not challenge at the very top of the La Liga table, but football is not all about winning titles.

For Valencia next season, enjoying a return to European football and some bright, attacking play is all that is necessary; qualify for the Champions League for successive seasons for the first time since 2012 and that would be significant.

For neutrals, Real Betis — with mad results like 4-4, 3-5 and 6-3 last season with 60 goals scored and 61 conceded, as well as World Cup star Takashi Inui and new signing William Carvalho — might be the obvious choice for a La Liga side to watch away from the usual suspects, but Valencia’s style, vibrancy and top-class coach make them equally worthy.

Valencia are a team to keep an eye on; if they manage to even to match last season, neutrals will take an interest once again.