LIGA FEDERAL DE VALLADARES
FIFTY-NINTH SEASON - PREVIEW: PART III
FIFTY-NINTH SEASON - PREVIEW: PART III
Pradera FC:
Full Name: Pradera Fútbol Club
Nicknames: Los Verdiblancos (The Green-Whites)
Location: Pradera, Antioquia
Stadium: Estadio de la Montaña (Cap. 43,174)
Kit Sponsor: MasterAuto.vd (Car rental)
Honours (2): 1 Valladar Liga-1 title (Season 37), 1 Supercopa (SCV 15)
Last Season: Valladar Liga-1: 7th - Kings' Shield: Second round
Average Attendance: 26,404
Starting Lineup (4-4-2): Soto - Vargas, Calderón, Estacio, Vélez (C) - Rodríguez, Molina, Morales, Mancosu - Izquierdo, Pérez
Moves Out: Mauricio Salgado (FW, 37, VLD) retired, César Salgado (LM, 35, VLD) retired
Moves In: Pablo Mancosu (LM, 21, QUE) from University of Attawapiskat (QUE), Daniel Cabrera (FW, 18, VLD) promoted from Pradera FC Academy
Background: Pradera FC, hailing from the namesake city, capital of the Antioquia state are one of the of most traditional and beloved teams in the western Valladares region, one of the areas with Spanish-speaking majority in the nation. Founded in early 1964, they joined the Federación Antioqueña de Fútbol (FAF) that same year and quickly became a leading force in the state championship, winning it for the first time in 1967 and repeating the fate eight more times, thus challenging the domination held until then by both of Valencia's powerhouses, Cardenales FC and Valencia FC. Having won the last state championship prior to the formation of the Valladar Super League, the Verdiblanco side was unable to pay the entrance fee required and had to sign up for the second tier, getting promoted for the second season. From that moment on and despite a couple of relegations followed up by swift returns, Pradera have managed to stabilize themselves in the top flight, becoming a regular mid-table contender. Their best era was undoubtedly the 30s, with the team becoming a regular Globe Cup contestant and even going on to become Valladar champions in season 37. However, and similar to Olympique de Fontvielle and Edmonton United, that title was the start of Pradera's decline which has continued to this day, although the Verdiblancos still dream of becoming once again a regular contender for international qualification, and of course, titles.
Last Season: This was a season to remember for Pradera, with the Verdiblancos mounting a late charge in the final stretch of the season in order to claim an unexpected seventh place finish, to the utter suprise of even the more optimistic fan. While a placement in the upper half of the table was great news for the team, already used to fend off the relegation ghost every season, this was followed up by the retirement of two of their flagship players: the Salgado brothers, César and Mauricio, both of whom decided to put an end to their footballing careers at the same time, which worried the fans since the duo had been the main offensive threat the team boasted for some time. However, the club's Board moved fast to find a replacement and brought winger Pablo Mancosu, fresh from the Royal Kingdom of Quebec, in order to regain some of that offensive strenght. But it seems they missed a key detail: out of the 10 teams that finished in the upper half of the table last season, the Verdiblancos were the ones with the worst defensive performance (60 goals against and −10 GD), and neither the Board nor the coach considered to bring some extra help in that zone...
Strategy: Under the management of coach Galletti, Pradera have usually played with a 4-4-2 system with a pretty conservative approach: two lines of four players close to each other in order to provide defensive coverage, although with a couple of wingers (Rodríguez and from this season onwards, Quebecois recruit Mancosu) moving back and forth who will sometimes be joined by the side defenders in attack, and two central forwards who heavily depend on the production by those wingers. Pradera's foremost priority is trying to display an efficient style of play, and therefore will usually resort to direct play rather than engaging in sterile ball possession, with counters being the thing at which striker Alexander Izquierdo excels the most. They also have in Bryan Morales a dangerous weapon for setpieces, so it will be usual for them to lure opposing defenders into fouling their players in order to give Morales chances to score.
Supporters and Rivalries: Historically, Pradera have been the most popular club in their city as well as one of the most popular sides in western Valladares, with their fanbase spreading to most of the Antioquia and Arauco states, and reaching out to people of all social origins in both of these states. Despite the team has been floundering in mediocrity for quite some time, it's still well-supported by their faithful and attendances at the Estadio de la Montaña do not usually go below 20,000 people per match. Pradera do have three main rivalries, two of which are considered as Clásicos Antioqueños (Antioquia derbies) due to being intra-state rivalries: Hamanos Athletic Club, from nearby Hamanos, and Valencia FC from the namesake city which is currently competing in the top tier along with the Verdiblancos. On the other hand, the Western Valladares derby against Tannenberg FC pits the main teams from the main two cities in western Valladares (Carloburgo and Pradera) and has gained momentum among fans of both teams due to a series of incidents by both fanbases in recent matches between Verdiblancos and Citizens, which have made the animosity between them grow to unprecedented levels.
The Pundit's Prediction: The outcome of the previous season might be a good launching platform for Pradera's ambitions to leave the relegation struggle for good and focus more on attempting a return to international competition. 10th.
Servette FC:
Full Name: Servette Football Club
Nicknames: Les Grenats (The Maroons)
Location: Servette, District of Metropolis
Stadium: Stade Municipal Henri Cousteau (Cap. 21,000)
Kit Sponsor: Maison d'Alice (Restaurant)
Honours (0): None
Last Season: Valladar Liga-2: 3rd, Final play-offs: Winners - Kings' Shield: Second round
Average Attendance: 13,118
Starting Lineup (4-3-1-2): Cabrera - Cacace, Barrande, Duret, Sylvestre - Bencomo, Pardo (C), Durmisi - Hertel - Barreiro, Lussier
Moves Out: None
Moves In: Marco Hertel (AM, 19, QUE) from CSKA Quebec (QUE), Armando Cabrera (GK, 33, VLD) from Fontvielle Impact, Felipe Pardo (CM, 35, VLD) from Nacional, Darío Barreiro (FW, 26, VLD) from Defensores de Villafuerte, Daniel Bencomo (RM, 29, VLD) from Olympique de Fontvielle
Background: Servette FC, hailing from the town of Servette in the District of Metropolis, will become the sixth team of the District in this Liga-1 edition, after the four Metropolis sides and AD Cerro from the neighboring town of Cerro. A traditional team, deeply rooted in the southern zones of the District of Metropolis and neighboring areas, Les Grenats were founded in 1942 by workers of the Lennart tannery in Servette, and applied for membership into the ADF three years later after winning an amateur tournament against other three teams from the town, which eventually were absorbed by Servette. They weren't really impressive during their stay in the District league, never placing near to championship positions, reserved to teams from the city of Metropolis, but started a rivalry with Cerro who were also usually ousted from that fight. The first years of professionalism saw the Grenat side navigating the treacherous waters of the third and second tier, where they eventually stabilized until the arrival of Olivier Dacarett, successful entrepreneur who was elected as chairman three seasons ago. With Dacarett in charge, the team was strenghtened and eventually reached the goal of promotion to the top flight, where they wish to stay for a long time...
Last Season: A spectacular campaign for Servette in Liga-2 had an expected happy ending with the team earning promotion to Liga-1 after finishing in third place behind champions Universitario and runners-up Maritime, and then going on to beat Canalave Rangers, heavyweights Ajax, and Hoxford Rovers at a maroon-clad National Stadium in the play-offs. Among the highlights of Les Grenats' successful promotion campaign we can mention striker Matthias Lussier, who became third topscorer in Liga-2 with 22 goals, and playmaker Alex Durmisi, whose dribbling ability helped the team get important results during the campaign. However, gaffer Pierre Renquin and the Board agreed on Servette needing more and better weapons to survive their first season in Liga-1, and decided to reinforce themselves with a mix of young and experienced players, most of them already with Liga-1 experience: goalkeeper Armando Cabrera and right-mid Daniel Bencomo, both finally having the chance to be in a main role after being eternal benchers at both of Fontvielle's sides (Impact the former, Olympique the latter), experienced centre-mid Felipe Pardo who was a usual starter in Nacional, Darío Barreiro, who was the leading striker for Defensores de Villafuerte, and young playmaker Marco Hertel coming from Quebec in his first experience abroad. Servette are aware of the gulf of quality between the top two tiers in Valladares, and prepared accordingly to fulfill their goal of avoiding relegation in their début season, just like teams such as Defensores, Valencia, and Nord Energie already did.
Strategy: Servette are a team that base their strategy on attacking a lot, while trying to stay classy in the process. They usually play a 4-3-1-2 system with an offensive midfielder as playmaker and two strikers fed either by the playmaker or by anyone moving through the wings, either Bencomo/Durmisi or even one of the two side defenders. They're a team with a high stamina and highly reliant on speed, who also value greatly players other than the strikers offering them chances to score. Alexis Durmisi will be one player to watch in this team, given his dribbling skills and prowess for setpiece plays, while Matthias Lussier is expected to be their main threat up front as well as another potential revelation player.
Supporters and Rivalries: As the main representative of Francophone Metropolis, Servette has a big following in their town as well as in areas of Francophone majority, although the sucess of Fontvielle Impact as well as the fact the Grenats were unable to reach the first tier for such a long time have caused some people in Servette and other areas to switch allegiances in favour of Les Bleus. Nevertheless, Servette are still one of the best followed sides in southern Metropolis and the southern suburbs of the capital, with their fans being known for being passionate and quite loyal to their team. One of Servette's best-known fans is "Claxon", a man who lives in a house in front of the stadium, across the street, who is known for blowing a siren from his house during home matches when the team is attacking, is awarded a setpiece, a corner or a penalty or scores a goal. Historically, Servette's main rival has been AD Cerro, from the neighbouring suburb of Cerro, with whom they contest the Cer-vette for supremacy in the suburbs of southern Greater Metropolis. This rivalry is an extension of the much broader rivalry between Cerro and Servette, two working-class towns who have usually fought for leadership on several fronts. With Servette's promotion for this season, this will be the first time the Cer-vette is being contested in the top tier, with the rivalry between both sides being re-ignited in previous seasons thanks to Cerro's continued stay in Liga-2.
The Pundit's Prediction: Out of the four newcomers (with them as well as Maritime being absolute debutants), Servette were the ones who reinforced themselves the most in both quantity and quality. Whilst they may struggle early into the campaign, they should be good enough to survive this maiden season in the top flight. 17th, relegation play-off winners.
Slateport Bulls:
Full Name: Slateport Bulls Football Club
Nicknames: The Bulls
Location: Slateport, Eterna
Stadium: Estadio de la Riviera (Cap. 40,110)
Kit Sponsor: OilCo (Petroleum industry)
Honours (1): 1 Kings' Shield (KS 45)
Last Season: Valladar Liga-1: 16th - Kings' Shield: Round of 32
Average Attendance: 21,049
Starting Lineup (4-3-3): Arias (C) - Pereira, Collins, Martins, Calero - Navas, Infante, Sampaio - Salazar, Lúcio, Márquez
Moves Out: None
Moves In: None
Background: Slateport Bulls are the main football club of Slateport, the second most important city in the Eterna state, which is located on the shores of Hamanos Lake (an artificial reservoir created by the construction of Hamanos Dam on the Danubio river 30 kilometres downstream from the city). The Bulls were founded in 1933, under the name of Slateport City Football Club but were renamed to their current name in 1937 as a condition to receive financial support from York's Estate, a well-known cattle ranch in the area. Having earned membership into the Eterna Football Association in 1935, the Bulls became a force in the footballing environment of the state in not time, challenging Eterna Stars, the leading team in the state at the time by winning the 1936 title. From that moment on, Stars and Bulls nearly split the state championships among each other, with the latter winning the last Eterna Top Championship before the creation of the Valladar Super League. However, the Bulls' move to a nationwide stage brought a change of fortunes to the team over time: despite the fact the Bulls were early entertainers of the Super League, finishing as runners-up behind Metropolis Alligators and Tannenberg FC in the first and sixth seasons and qualifying for international competition during those first six seasons, a reputation for their lack of silverware was slowly built at almost the same time the team went on decline, deriving into two relegations in seasons 17 and 36. However, the Bulls quickly bounced back from those two low points, and under the guidance of Sillimese coach Arthur Bogden they were finally able to win their first big trophy, the Kings' Shield in season 55. With the Bulls being currently somewhat of a sleeping lion, their fans will be hoping they wake up soon and claim their rightful place in history...
Last Season: The Bulls are coming off a terrible season, with the team being unable to leave the relegation zone for nearly the entire season and only feeling fully safe from the drop after Pradera scored that dramatic last-minute goal against Edmonton that relegated the Monties and sent Real Campo Grande to the series they would eventually lose to the Rovers, while saving them from every danger of going down for the third time in history. The dismal campaign had already claimed a victim mid-way, with long-time gaffer Arthur Bogden being dismissed and the Victor Anigo/Jean-Pierre de Roux duo being called to straighten the course in the remainder of the season. With Anigo having achieved the goal (albeit with outside help), the Board decided to extend his contract for at least this upcoming season in order to see if he can bring them closer or even qualify them to an international competition, a thing former coach Bogden managed to do twice. They have also decided to remain with the same team (much to the fans' chagrin) since they recognize the potential the current players have. With that in mind, the Bulls will have some work to do in order to improrve the relationship with their fans, given that the style of play displayed by the team last season didn't appeal to them at all, and they're growing too impatient at having to see the other teams win more and more trophies...
Strategy: The Bulls tend to play with a 4-3-3 formation, with four defenders, two of whom (Óscar Pereira and Eduardo Calero) give support on offense, three midfielders concentrated in the centre of the field to exert pressure on rival playmakers, and three strikers distributed to cover the width of the field and force rival defenses to split. Usually both Óscar Salazar and Alexis Márquez work as wingers, bombing the rival box with crosses to be headed into goals by central forward Lúcio, however, they can also play closer to Lúcio and provide him some needed support against strong defenses, even scoring goals of their own. This tactical approach has one key disadvantage, though: since the three midfielders are mostly in the centre of the field, teams with specialized wingers or ones that prefer to channel their play through the wings have a much easier job since the Bulls midfielders are usually too slow to retreat and cover the wings effectively, thus allowing opposing sides to open up a hole to harm them later on.
Supporters and Rivalries: Being one of the strongest teams in the Eterna state, and one of the teams with the most titles in that state championship as well as the only team from Slateport in the highest tiers of Valladar football, the Bulls have managed to build a strong fanbase in Slateport and nearby towns. They are known for being overly demanding fans, whose fathers and grandparents got used to see winning Slateport teams but their generation has been denied such a privilege and therefore they long to see the team winning silverware, usually getting annoyed at the recent lack of on-field success of the Bulls and frequently protesting against the Board to make their displeasure known. The Bulls' stay in the Eterna state championship helped them build two heated rivalries: one against Eterna Stars, the leading team from the Eternan capital Eterna City, with whom they contest the Eternan Superclásico, the main rivalry in the Eterna state, and another one against Canalave Dragons from the Canalave state, formerly part of the Eterna state. The rivalry against the Dragons has been especially heated because of some episodes that saw both teams hinder the other one in the past: on Canalave's side they held Slateport responsible for kicking them out of the EFA when the Canalave state was created, while the Bulls hold a grudge against the Dragons for being the team that sentenced them to their first relegation from the Super League, back in season 17. A more modern rivalry with Marinos Metropolis, known as the Blue Derby, emerged in the origins of the Super League with both sides vying for supremacy behind the "Big 3" of Alligators, Tannenberg, and Eterna Stars. While Marinos has managed to earn a big edge on the Bulls for that, and the Big 3 has muted into a Big 5 with new members nowadays, the rivalry between both sides has not declined.
The Pundit's Prediction: The previous season should be considered as a "temporary setback" for the Bulls. Fortunately for Anigo's interests, the team do possess enough quality to stay away from the fight to avoid the drop, and might instead focus their energies on attempting to break into the upper half of the table. 11th.
Tannenberg FC:
Full Name: Tannenberg Football Club
Nicknames: The Citizens, TFC, The Black-Whites, The Knights
Location: Carloburgo, Mountbatten
Stadium: White Meadow Arena (Cap. 69,780)
Kit Sponsor: Dashka Motors (Automobile manufacturer)
Honours (8): 5 Valladar Liga-1 titles (Seasons 6, 17, 38, 48, 51), 2 Kings' Shields (KS 10, 17), 1 Supercopa (SCV 16)
Last Season: Valladar Liga-1: 6th - Kings' Shield: Round of 32
Average Attendance: 56,040
Starting Lineup (4-4-2): Becker (C) - Gillet, Lucerna, Martínez, Vargas - Moyes, Manelli, Barreto, Pearce - Figueiredo, Foschini
Moves Out: Nick Mariner (CM, 28, VLD) to Tihon (CMT)
Moves In: Ronald Cooper (CM, 20, VLD) from TFC Academy
Background: One of the most traditional and best followed teams of western Valladares, Tannenberg FC are the main team from Carloburgo, the second most populated city of the nation which is also known for being the industrial center of the region as well as a welcoming place for immigrants and foreigners. The Citizens trace their origins to 1928, when the club was established in the downtown borough of Tannenberg by a group of wealthy students living in the zone. After some years of sporadic play against other clubs from Carloburgo, Tannenberg FC became a founding member of the Mountbatten Football Association in 1935 and rose to become absolute dominators of the state league, only letting crosstown rivals AC Tallin win it three times. As a result of their success in the amateur leagues TFC were invited to play in the first Valladar Super League season, being tipped as one of the main 3 title contenders among with Metropolis Alligators from Metropolis and Eterna Stars from Eterna City in the first competition involving teams from the entire country. With one title in the first six seasons, and constant international appearances, the Citizens seemed to be meeting expectations on their performance, however, they started to struggle as they were taken over by a foreign company, to the annoyance of the team's fans who ended ousting them after some time. In the professional era, Tannenberg have been pioneers at two things: the first Valladar team to own their stadium as well as the first fan-controlled club in the nation, and have further confirmed their status as one of Valladares' Big teams by winning the domestic league four more times. While TFC have been superseeded by teams such as the Foixien giants Fontvielle Impact and Bezieres, as well as Metropolis' Hispanic powerhouses of Marinos and Nacional, they are still considered a Big team by many people, who would like to see them winning titles on a more regular basis...
Last Season: Despite having experienced some up-and-downs in the course of the season, including an embarrassing exit from the Kings' Shield at the hands of one of the worst teams in Metropolis' sixth tier league (Central Español), Tannenberg can be satisfied with their overall sixth place finish. The team managed by Danny Flint showed an interesting cohesion for most of the season which not only will help them in the future but also allowed them to be within reach of an international berth, with players such as midfielder Nick Mariner and striker Mateo Foschini standing out. Precisely the performance in the previous season allowed Mariner to reach a deal on a move abroad in the offseason, leaving his spot in the starting 11 open for fellow centre-mid Rémi Manelli who will have the mission to adapt himself to the style of play of the team. The Citizens are slowly consolidating themselves in the upper half of the table, and could be able to give a shock and sneak out into international football if their rivals don't pay them enough attention.
Strategy: Tannenberg's premise throughout time has been playing stylish football, being a ruthless team on the field while also making sure people in the stands are treated to a good show. Considering that, the Citizens usually line up in a 4-4-2 formation, with a classic line of four defenders, two central midfielders (Manelli and Barreto) in charge of destroying the offensive advances by rival players, two wingers and two strikers. During Flint's tenure of TFC, the team has managed to consolidate a backbone with a mixture of young and experienced players, led by goalkeeper and team captain Thomas Becker, central defender Daniel Lucerna, right-mid Fréderic Moyes and Dreamplanet striker Paulo Figueiredo, which are the main players in each of the team's lines. Tannenberg base their style on possession game, trying to keep control of the ball to themselves for most of the time, and attacking with many players, which usually leaves them seriously exposed to rival counters in return.
Supporters and Rivalries: Widely known as the team of Carloburgo's elite and middle-high classes, Tannenberg FC started expanding outside their core fanbase thanks to their success in the Mountbatten state league, being soon embraced by people from all social backgrounds in Carloburgo as well as in nearby towns and all over the Mountbatten state, turning them into one of the teams with the biggest following in Valladares. Tannenberg's main rival since the amateur era has been crosstown rival AC Tallin, who were born from the middle and lower classes of Carloburgo, and against whom they play the Carloburgo Derby. However, the Citizens quickly opened up a huge gulf in quality between both sides, which added to Tallin nowadays drifting in Liga-3 has stagnated the rivalry. TFC also has city derbies against fellow Carloburgo sides Ajax and Phoenix, with the latter having flourished with the Immigrants' continuous stay and consolidation in Liga-1. Nowadays, Tannenberg have rivalries with Metropolis Alligators and Eterna Stars (both originated at the start of the Super League), as well as Slateport Bulls and Pradera FC, who are currently the closest top tier sides to the Citizens. Matches against Pradera, known as the Western Valladares derby, have especially gained momentum in recent times following heated clashes between the fanbases of both sides, and also considering the fact that both are the most successful teams in the region.
The Pundit's Prediction: Tannenberg should be on the list of potential IFCF contenders, however, their up and downs might cost them a lot against teams such as the Stars, Dragons, Marinos and Junín. The Citizens could look at the Kings' Shield as a fast way to return to the international stage, though. 9th.
Universitario de Maldonado:
Full Name: Club Deportivo Universitario de Maldonado
Nicknames: La U (The "U"), El Crema (The Cream-coloured one)
Location: Maldonado, Chiquito
Stadium: Estádio do Maldonado (Cap. 20,546)
Kit Sponsor: Universidad de Maldonado (University)
Honours (0): None
Last Season: Valladar Liga-2: 1st (Champions) - Kings' Shield: Round of 16
Average Attendance: 9,755
Starting Lineup (4-4-1-1): Andrade - Queiroz (C), Fontes, Coelho, Gonçalves - Barbosa, Cardoso, Almeida, Brunn - Miranda - Danilson
Moves Out: None
Moves In: Danilson (FW, 27, VLD) from Real Campo Grande
Background: Universitario de Maldonado are the sporting club of the Universidad de Maldonado, one of the leading educational institutions in the Danube Canyon area, located in the city of Maldonado. Universitario were founded as a multisports club offering several sports such as football, basketball, volleyball, swimming, among others by the institution's University Welfare Directorate in 1963 as a way to both serve to the students of its Physical Education career in the development of their careers and provide some leisure to students of other careers offered by the university. The football division was enrolled into the Chiquito state football association (FCF) shortly after the establishment of the club in order to earn recognition of the Valladar Football Association, and started competing in the Chiquito state championship in 1964. While the club found itself struggling for most of its stay in the league, it earned a reputation as a blossoming place for new talents, which would eventually go on to play at any of Campo Grande's big clubs. Despite having earned an invitation to compete in the first Super League edition, in which they were relegated following a bottom two finish, Universitario's professional history has passed mostly between the second and third tiers, with the "U" side making two additional Super League cameos in seasons 3 and 15, being swiftly relegated.
Last Season: The Crema side was the biggest surprise of the previous Liga-2 season with their championship. Despite the team managed by Fábio Machado had somewhat of a rough start to the season, having picked only 11 points in as many matches, they started moving up the table with an impressive streak of victories that brought them to fourth place after halfway point, trailing leaders Hamanos and Westporte by 3 points. The team would eventually keep climbing up the table and by defeating until-then leaders Hamanos (whose balloon would deflate after this loss), Hoxford Rovers and Maritime in quick succession they were left in a good position to clinch both promotion and the Liga-2 title, which would be won by beating Maritime on goal difference. With the Board aware of the fact that Universitario wouldn't survive a season in Liga-1 with the roster that earned promotion for them, they decided to enlist the help of former Real Campo Grande striker Danilson in the hopes that he will provide vital goals for their quest of avoiding the drop. Universitario are back in Liga-1 after 44 years, and their mission is ensure that the team will remain in the top flight for more than a single season.
Strategy: The "U" usually play with a 4-4-1-1 system, with two lines of four players: four defenders and four midfielders who try to stay close to each other in order to close all possible ways of attack to rival players. Meanwhile, playmaker Matheus Miranda acts as a "second striker", dropping into the midfield from time to time in order to pick up the ball, run with it and then send it up to Danilson, who will be acting as lone striker. Universitario prefer to wait for the other team to wear down trying to pass their "double four" in order to hit them at the right time with lethal counters and the speed of Miranda and Danilson.
Supporters and Rivalries: During the amateur period, Universitario's fanbase was mostly formed by alumni and current students of the Universidad de Maldonado, although with the consolidation of their status as one of Maldonado's main football teams along with crosstown rivals Pumas, Universitario's fanbase has somewhat extended beyond that group of society and around the city and nearby areas. In addition to Pumas, with whom they contest the local derby, Universitario also have rivalries with the teams from the city of Columbus, located across the Danubio river and with whom Maldonado is conurbated (mainly FC Columbus and Patriotas in this case), as well with Real Campo Grande from the namesake city, capital of the Chiquito state. However, none of these derbies are going to be played this season as Universitario is in the top flight, while Columbus and Real Campo Grande were relegated and joined Pumas in Liga-2 for this season, and Patriotas are buried in the depths of Liga-3.
The Pundit's Prediction: To be the incumbent Liga-2 champions, Universitario are looking too weak. They'll be likely relegated with several games in hand with such a bland and naïve team. 20th.
Valencia FC:
Full Name: Valencia Fútbol Club
Nicknames: Púrpura (Purple)
Location: Valencia, Antioquia
Stadium: Estadio Tricentenario (Cap. 30,244)
Kit Sponsor: LíneaBus (Transportation)
Honours (1): 1 Series B Champions' Cup (SBCC 70)
Last Season: Valladar Liga-1: 15th - Kings' Shield: Round of 32
Average Attendance: 23,292
Starting Lineup (4-4-2): Araúz - Ávila, Aristizábal (C), Caballero, García - Ayala, Muriel, Pettirossi, Riveros - Coimbra, Armstrong
Moves Out: Leandro Martelli (RM, 25, VLD) to Avenida Principal (FFD)
Moves In: Marcelo Escobar (RM, 20, VLD) promoted from Academy
Background: Valencia FC hail from the first colonial capital of Valladares, Valencia, located midway between Slateport, Pradera, Canalave and Eterna City and the second city of the Antioquia state after the capital Pradera. The Púrpura side came to life in 1950, and along with other seven regional teams including crosstown rivals Cardenales FC and Alianza Antioquia from the state capital founded the Federación Antioqueña de Fútbol (FAF), Antioquia state's football association. Those same eight teams played the first state championship in 1955, with Cardenales winning it. Valencia were able to enjoy some success in the first half of the 1960s, until a new strong player in the form of Pradera FC entered the fray: Verdiblancos, Rojos, and Púrpuras battled for state supremacy until the Valladar Super League was created, with Pradera and Valencia joining the B-League. The Púrpura didn't have to wait for long to be promoted, having their maiden appearance for season 4 and staying in the top tier for three seasons until their relegation at the end of season 6. From that moment on, Valencia for the most part became a yo-yo team, making short appearances in the top flight just to get relegated back to the second tier in the same season, however, the team's fortunes changed for better with the arrival of Federico Rassmussen as coach. Under Rassmussen's tenure, Valencia were able to return to the top flight for season 57 and stabilize themselves there, and to make things better for the Púrpura fans the team became the second and last Valladar winner of the Series B Champions' Cup, an unprecedented achievement for a team the size of Valencia. They are now trying to consolidate themselves in the top tier in order to, in the short-mid term, try to mount an assault for an international berth...and the sky is the limit for them.
Last Season: What seemed to be a quiet season for the Antioquian side with the Púrpura staying in mid-table for most of the competition ended up with a scare with the team slowing down in the final stretch and reaching the last day of the season with chances to go down, forcing them to try and snatch some points from Tannenberg FC in Carloburgo. However, and despite their loss to TFC, events at other stadiums on that day worked the way of Valencia and the team was able to remain in the top flight for one more season. The offseason also brought some movement to the Valencia front, with right-mid Leandro Martelli reaching an agreement with Farf club Avenida Principal and leaving the team, making way for fellow RMs Ricardo Ayala to enter the starting XI and Marcelo Escobar to be promoted from the Academy team. Fortunately for the Púrpura interests, there were no other players leaving the team for pastures new, meaning that most of the backbone will stay put and therefore gaffer Federico Rassmussen will have a much-easier job to steer this team into the upper half of the table the upcoming season. While the average Valencia fan is sure the team has come to Liga-1 to stay for a very long time, everyone at Valencia would definitely want to avoid another mini-crisis like last season's one, with the team on the verge of getting relegated because of a poor streak in the final matches...
Strategy: Valencia usually start play with a traditional 4-4-2 position, with very cohesive players in all their lines: four defenders, four midfielders with specific missions on field: two wide midfielders who have to move through the flanks in both directions to get to the goal line in attacks and also protect the full-backs in defense, one central midfielder expected to hold back rival attackers and shield the defense, and another one going up as often as possible to provide support to the two forwards. The Púrpura mostly base their play on their strong backbone formed by goalkeeper Danilo Araúz, central back Gustavo Aristizábal, midfielders Dylan Pettirossi and Claudio Muriel, and strikers Vincent Armstrong and Fabio Coimbra, who are the players that can handle the ball best. When holding the ball, Valencia like to make it transit through the field by means of a sequence of passes, and in the opposite case, they will exert suffocating pressure on the rival players to prevent them from getting too close to the goal defended by Araúz.
Supporters and Rivalries: Hailing from the lower classes of the city, in clear contrast to the aristocratic and bourgeois origins of crosstown rivals Cardenales, Valencia nowadays have profitted from Cardenales' steady decline which now sees the Rojos back into the state championships in order to extend their fanbase all around Valencia and surroundings. That said, the biggest rival for the Púrpura is currently Pradera FC, with whom the rivalry has existed since Pradera's entrance and consolidation as one of the leading teams of the Antioquian state league, deriving into one of the Clásicos Antioqueños of nowadays as well as the most expected match by Púrpura fans in the entire season. Atlas SC, also based in Valencia and currently playing in the Liga Nacional (4th tier) would be another rival for Valencia, however those two sides have yet to meet each other at an official match.
The Pundit's Prediction: Under Federico Rassmussen's management, Valencia have done well the task of consolidating themselves in the top flight. This should be a much more comfortable season for the Púrpura as they confirm said consolidation and prepare for more demanding challenges in the future. 12th.
Valladar Liga-2 Clubs and Prediction:
(Clubs ordered according to predicted position)
Defensores de Villafuerte (Maldonado, Chiquito)
Hamanos Athletic Club (Hamanos, Antioquia)
Ajax Carloburgo (Carloburgo, Mountbatten)
Pumas Maldonado (Maldonado, Chiquito)
Edmonton United (Edmonton, Westlands)
FC Townsville (Townsville, Westlands)
AS Montreux (Montreux, Foix)
Real Campo Grande (Campo Grande, Chiquito)
Stanford United (Stanford, Mountbatten)
CAP (Los Chorros, Mountbatten)
Étoile Verte (Bezieres, Foix)
AS Vaud (Gatineau, Foix)
Canalave Rangers (City of Canalave, Canalave)
FC Columbus (Columbus, Mountbatten)
AS Mont-Blanc (Mont-Blanc, Eterna)
Real Pradera (Pradera, Antioquia)
FC Sillimus (City-state of Sillimus)
FC Westporte 984 (Westporte, Canalave)
Atlético Nápoles (Metropolis, District of Metropolis)
FC Fauxham (Fauxham, Eterna)Valladar Liga-3 Clubs and Prediction:
(Clubs ordered according to predicted position)
Bretford Royals (Bretford, Westlands)
Gatineau UC 98 (Gatineau, Foix)
EC Comercial (Campo Grande, Chiquito)
Adelaide Kickers (Adelaide, Westlands)
Northport Bears (Northport, Westlands)
Villaznia AC (Villaznia, Eterna)
Minault United (Minault, Mountbatten)
Bellavista Jets (Metropolis, District of Metropolis)
Patriotas FC (Columbus, Mountbatten)
Libertad (Lierravus, Alto Danubio)
Alianza Antioquia (Pradera, Antioquia)
Sporting Florencia (Florencia, Antioquia)
Dynamo Metropolis (Metropolis, District of Metropolis)
AS Lausanne (Lausanne, Foix)
Danubio FC (Metropolis, District of Metropolis)
Corumbá EC (Corumbá, Chiquito)
Carloburgo Phoenix (Carloburgo, Mountbatten)
AC Tallin (Carloburgo, Mountbatten)
Yumbo FC (Yumbo, Mountbatten)
Western Suburbs FC (Vincent, Mountbatten)
Fontvielle Impact 10 7 3 0 24 12 +12 24
AS Bezieres 10 7 1 2 19 14 +5 22
Nacional 10 6 3 1 14 5 +9 21
AD Cerro 10 7 0 3 20 16 +4 21
Metropolis Alligators 10 6 2 2 19 16 +3 20
Deportivo Junín 10 6 1 3 22 13 +9 19
Pradera FC 10 5 3 2 18 12 +6 18
Servette FC 10 4 3 3 8 9 −1 15
Bohemians Metropolis 10 4 2 4 18 16 +2 14
Eterna Stars 10 4 1 5 14 13 +1 13
Slateport Bulls 10 3 3 4 13 14 −1 12
Canalave Dragons 10 3 3 4 16 15 +1 12
Hoxford Rovers 10 3 1 6 8 18 −10 10
Olympique de Fontvielle 10 2 4 4 12 15 −3 10
Marinos Metropolis 10 3 1 6 13 18 −5 10
Tannenberg FC 10 2 3 5 14 18 −4 9
Universitario de Maldonado 10 2 3 5 8 13 −5 9
FC Maritime Westporte 10 2 3 5 10 17 −7 9
Nord Energie FC 10 1 2 7 6 13 −7 5
Valencia FC 10 1 2 7 7 16 −9 5
Eterna Celtic (Eterna City, Eterna)
Deportivo Angostura (Angostura, Angostura)
Curzón FC (Curzón, Angostura)
Talleres (CP) 10 2 5 3 11 14 −3 11
