Champions League cult heroes: Gaizka Mendieta – the almost-man

Two Champions League finals, two defeats. No silverware, but football fans around the turn of the century will not forget Gaizka Mendieta or Valencia.

For supporters in the UK, or in this writer’s case Ireland, Mendieta emerged from nowhere in 1999 to become one of Europe’s most promising players.

His peak would not last long, but it was a peak.

To celebrate the BBC’s Champions League highlights this season, we’re discussing a Champions League cult hero every week that there are matches on.

In the days of the internet, before social media (and unless you had satellite TV), free-to-watch Champions League matches and major tournaments were the way you first discovered foreign players.

Mendieta was in his mid-twenties when Valencia was the talk of the town for two years.

In 1999-2000, the Basque playmaker was in charge of Hector Cuper’s Los Che. The stylish midfielder, his hair blowing in the wind as he drifted past players, made key passes and scored important goals.

He had a rocket of a long-range shot, quick feet that helped him evade opponents and could play centrally or on the wing – in short, the ideal attacking midfielder.

Other stars of the team included Spanish goalkeeper Santiago Canizares, French defender Jocelyn Angloma, future Barcelona midfielder Gerard and Argentine striker Claudio Lopez.

Valencia had to qualify first, but were undefeated after that and finished top of a group that included Bayern Munich.

Mendieta scored a fantastic goal in the 2-1 win over Rangers in that group, striking the ball perfectly from the edge of the penalty area, but the ball went in off the post.

“Mendieta is the type of player every team would love to have – not just skilled, but imaginative, full of energy and commitment to his team,” Rangers manager Dick Advocaat said afterwards., external

They also survived the second group stage – a short-lived addition by UEFA – with Mendieta scoring penalties against Fiorentina and Bordeaux.

They then knocked out Lazio and Barcelona in the two knockout rounds. He scored in both legs against Barcelona, ​​including a fine 20-yard effort at the Nou Camp.

Mendieta’s performances were so impressive that Lazio and Barcelona became his next two clubs.

Unfortunately for Valencia, they played Real Madrid in the final and lost 3-0. It was Real’s first European Cup win since 1966. There have been a few more since then.

The following year, no one would underestimate Valencia or Mendieta, but the teams still struggled to stop them.

Vicente, Didier Deschamps, Pablo Aimar and John Carew were some of the iconic names who joined them that season.

It was a season that will be remembered mainly by fans of the English teams.

Valencia finished above Manchester United in the second group stage, then eliminated Arsenal in the quarter-finals and Leeds United in the semi-finals.

Mendieta scored their third goal in the return against Leeds, with a superb low shot into the bottom corner from distance.

Bayern Munich awaited in the final at San Siro. After three minutes, Mendieta was fouled and stepped up to take the penalty, which he fired into the bottom corner, past Oliver Kahn.

But Bayern came back, with Stefan Effenberg converting a penalty in the second half. The German giants won the shoot-out 5-4. Captain Mendieta converted his penalty.

It was Bayern’s first European Cup since 1976. Valencia were the opponents, as two of Europe’s biggest clubs ended their Champions League drought.

Mendieta was named best midfielder at the UEFA Club Football Awards in both seasons.