Glory a bonus for steady Baraja

By Graham Hunter in Valencia

Villarreal CF will need no reminding of who Rubén Baraja is, nor of the kind of damage the Valencia CF man can inflict when he is in the mood.

Power and leadership
When the teams met at the Mestalla stadium in January this year, it was the Spain midfield player's power, goals and leadership which turned a potential defeat into a 4-2 victory. The game was fierce, with six yellow cards and a red for Sergio Ballesteros, whose Villarreal side led until the second half through Juan Román Riquelme's early strike.

Spanish strength
But Baraja's two goals and an assist changed the course of events. And even though the local rivals now sit eight places and 26 points apart in the Primera División, Baraja believes the semi-final is simply more proof of the strength of the Spanish league.

Next-door neighbours
"Although there is still something to be achieved in terms of actually winning European trophies, the hard fact is that Spanish teams always seem to be up there," he said. "In both the UEFA Cup and the [UEFA] Champions League you are seeing our sides in the final and semi-final - with this semi being a contest not just between Spanish clubs but between clubs who live almost next door to each other."

Symbol
Baraja is, in many ways, the symbol of Valencia's renaissance. Coach Rafael Benítez, Pablo Aimar, Roberto Ayala, Santiago Cañizares ... everyone has their favourite. But when you take account of the thrilling scoring run of six goals in eight games with which Baraja returned to Valencia's side after injury in 2001/02, just in time to inspire the team to the title, it is clear why he is adored by the fans.

Wants more trophies 
However, this victory remains Baraja's only senior honour, and the Valladolid-born 28-year-old wants more trophies. "Last year's experience of giving up our title, despite having had the chance to win it again, and of then failing to qualify for the Champions League was a severe blow and something of a disaster," he said.

Consistency key 
"The expectations this year were high. We wanted to guarantee a return to Champions League football but now we have the chance to win back our status as Spanish champions and get to the UEFA Cup final. We are a consistent squad, perhaps the most consistent in Spain, but that is because we are a competitive squad. If you aren't giving your best then the player behind you, who's waiting to get your place in the team, will be in and you'll be out."

Low profile 
Baraja will be a central pillar of Spain's team at UEFA EURO 2004™ yet he is a player who prefers to keep a low profile. Comparing Valencia with title rivals Real Madrid CF, he explained: "They call some of Madrid's player's 'Galácticos' but I'd say that, at Valencia, our team is the 'Galáctico'. I've never liked the term when it is applied to individual players because I'm a guy who loves the Valencia style of the entire team squeezing every last drop of effort out of itself in order to win games.

Keep on learning
"It is pleasing to know that I am a player who is valued within the team, internationally and that I have won important trophies. But praise can weaken you because, at this level, there is no room for error and you can go from being a 'phenomenon' to being forgotten in no time. It is vital to keep it all in proportion and then you can keep on learning and keep on achieving."