“I’m ready to talk about updating, but now is not the time”

In an extensive interview with El Larguero on Cadena SER Ruben Baraja, Valencia coachunder contract until 30 June 2025, admits it is open to expanding its relationship with its member club Peter Lim He is the largest shareholder, a person he doesn’t know despite running the team for over a year.

In considering an extension, Baraja bets a couple of conditions. One, time. “Now is not the right time to talk about my extension. I will be open, but there is still a third of the season left.”, It is said. Another, ambition. A man from Valladolid claims that: “no money for reinforcements”, you can’t go from fighting for permanent status to playing in the Champions League. However, he expects to see increasing demand for Meryton for sporting purposes and a return to European competition.

“Of course, I’m always ready to talk to him about the future. Valencia if the club’s ambitions coincide with mine. It’s not time for my update yet though. It is impossible to go from fighting relegation to playing in the Champions League without having money for reinforcements.. My idea is to gradually restore the status Valencia”– said the coach.

At the start of the 2023/24 season, the club president Leihong Chan publicly stated that this season’s mission was to save the category. after last season in which Valencia reached the last day of the League without achieving a permanent place in the First Division. “Last season was very difficult, this time we set ourselves a higher goal.”– said “Pipo”, who managed to have the opportunity to compete for sixth and seventh positions before the start of the final segment of the League, that is, to return to Europe through the Europa League or the Conference, depending on who becomes the winner. Spanish Cup final.

Baraja doesn’t know Peter Lim

Elsewhere in the interview, the technician says that he “grateful” to Valencia because it allowed him to “make every coach’s dream come true” a little over a year ago, when Miguel Angel Corona contacted him to fix the drifting ship. Of course, he admits that “personally” Lima doesn’t know yet. When asked about the Singaporean’s policy regarding the possible sale of young players this summer 2024, Baraja replies that “no” he has a “feeling” that “the club has in mind dismantling the team”. “Perhaps there are good arguments for Valencia and for the player himself, but I don’t have the feeling that the young players will leave anytime soon.” He added and noted that the current situation is also a “showcase” for young football players. “Many young people know that if they come to Valencia they will play. This is a showcase.”

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Finally, to the question about Vinicius caseRuben Baraja notes that what happened last season was an “isolated incident.” “Valencianism has a great opportunity to demonstrate this this weekend”– notes Baraja, who believes in the strength of his team at home and will be able to beat Real Madrid on Saturday, March 2 (Mestalla, 21:00).