Former Valencia CF goalkeeper, Santiago Cañizares, has used Real Sociedad's recent Copa del Rey victory to underscore the instability suffered by the Valencian club's bench. According to Cañizares, at Valencia, a coach like Pellegrino Matarazzo “would be out” whether he had won a title “brilliantly” or lost a final in a penalty shootout.
“"Marcelino and Bordalás can attest that this is information, not opinion."
This reflection directly points to two recent precedents under Peter Lim's management. The first is Marcelino García Toral, who led Valencia to win the 2019 Copa del Rey, in the club's Centenary year, after defeating Barcelona 2-1 in the final played on May 25 at the Benito Villamarín. That title, the club's first since 2008, capped a season in which the team also qualified for the Champions League.
However, this success did not strengthen his position. Valencia officially announced his dismissal on September 11, 2019, just a few months after lifting the Copa. Marcelino himself explained that the cup trophy had been one of the points of friction with Peter Lim, as for the majority shareholder, the Copa was a “minor” or “secondary” competition compared to the priority objective of entering the Champions League.
The other case Cañizares refers to is that of José Bordalás. The Alicante-born coach led Valencia to the final of the 2022 Copa del Rey, played on April 23 at La Cartuja. The Mestalla team drew 1-1 with Betis and lost in the penalty shootout, after coming close to a title that would have changed the tone of the season.
Despite this cup run, Bordalás also lacked continuity. Valencia officially announced on June 3, 2022, that the coach was ending his time at the club, emphasizing in his farewell that the team had reached the final of the knockout tournament.
