Gerard López: "No matter how many years pass, you can’t forget a night like the win over Lazio"

Last Sunday marked 20 years to the day since Valencia CF beat Lazio 5-2 at Mestalla in the Champions League, and VCF Media tracked down hat-trick hero Gerard López to talk about that magical night, his connection with the city and much more.

Do you remember that historic night 20 years ago?

“Of course! I will never forget one of Valencia CF's most magical Champions League nights. No matter how many years pass, you can’t forget a night like that, with all of Mestalla pushing you on and us the team responding to that connection with the fans to beat a team like SS Lazio.”

Yesterday we relived that great game through the app and the website.

“I watched the game on the website with my children. I remember the whole day, not just the 90 minutes on the pitch. I have memories of the route in from El Saler to Mestalla by bus, with people welcoming us at Avenida de Suecia.”

“I remember the stars that Lazio had; they were a spectacular team. When the game started everyone focused on themselves, on what we knew we could do very well. We competed well, defended solidly and had a veteran back line of Carboni, Angloma, Djukic and Pellegrino. Cañizares was in goal and we felt that we knew what we were doing.”

“We were a very disciplined, well organised team, without any showy football. We went for the game. Within five minutes we were 2-0 up and we demonstrated to all of Europe that Valencia CF were not ‘Cinderella,’ this was the confirmation of everything we had previously done against great teams such as Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Girondins... We got out of two very demanding groups, and that match was the confirmation.

And then came another win in the semifinals against Barça at Mestalla.

“I re-watched all of the games we played recently, and they were two very difficult groups. Glasgow Rangers and Fiorentina were great teams, as were PSV Eindhoven, against whom Claudio López scored an incredible goal. We had to get through two tough groups. We were drawn against SS Lazio, who were the ‘PSG’ of their day, a chequebook side. They had the best Argentines: Almeyda, Simeone, Verón… the best Yugoslavs, the Italian internationals, players like Salas and Nedved. They were one of the best teams in the world at the time.”

“In terms of names, they were the favourites, but for us playing the first game at home was an advantage. It was better for us to first show at Mestalla that we were a very strong team at home, then defend the result in the second leg. It was good for us to play at home and go on the counterattack. The same thing happened against Barça: They came with a three-man defence, with an incredible team, and it was Angulo's night. Thanks to two incredible ties we got into the final. Losing the final was unfortunate, as I don’t think that we were up to scratch.”

Have many people told you that they missed the first two goals?

“A lot of people. I looked at the stands at Mestalla when I was watching the game the other day, and when the match kicks off there are 8,000 or 10,000 people who haven’t arrived yet. People who were leaving work were still on their way to Mestalla and they missed the initial show. There were people who told me 'you could have waited a little longer, we missed the opening goals!' Our start was spectacular, as in the first 20 minutes we could have gone 3-0 or 4-0 up. Then Lazio started to have the ball and made it 2-1, but the first minutes were typical of a team that had something special about us.”

Cúper’s side were solid at the back and lethal on the attack

 “It was a lethal side. The team was built to play like that. The goalkeeping spot was covered with Cañizares and Palop, the defence was one hundred percent solid and there were no problems with them on the ball, Ayala and Carboni played directly and there were no turnovers in dangerous situations. Farinós and I were good players when it came to playing two or three touches without losing possession. On the two wings Kily and Mendieta were incisive and there was a lot of speed up top with Claudio López and  Juan Sánchez, Angulo, Ilie and Vlaovic. They was mobility, depth, speed and goals.

I was free to go forward from the second line and Farinós covered behind me. If we both went forward, Milla or Albelda were there. There was a very good squad, and Cúper managed the dressing room very well. He was very clear with us and gave us very specific training, both physical and tactical.”

Do you have the match ball from that game signed at home?

“I don't have the ball. I don't know what happened to it; maybe I took it and then gave it away. I don’t remember my teammates signing it. I was 21 years old and I didn’t quite take it all in. That night was the peak for that team and also for me on a personal level.”

People in Valencia remember you with special affection.

“Valencia is my second home. I’m from Granollers, half an hour from Barcelona. Barça trained me until Valencia CF signed me at the age of 17. I was moving to a new city, but it wasn’t traumatic for me, as in two and a half hours I could be at home. It was easy for me because I had a positive welcome, people appreciated that Gerard was a young talent who saw no future for him at Barça, and who played for Valencia CF -on a team that are a big club in Spain. Not everything is Barça or Real Madrid. I also had the option of joining Real Madrid when I came to Valencia CF, but I decided that because Paco Roig insisted, because Valdano spoke a lot with me and told me that I was going to be important for him.”

“I really threw myself into living in the city. I spoke Valenciano, connected with people, took in Las Fallas and would go to the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, met the supporters groups in Burjassot, Manises or wherever it was necessary…I did all that because I was young, I was single and had no children. There was a very pleasant atmosphere, I was very comfortable there and it’s my second home. I have always said that I never wanted to leave and go back to Barcelona. After the game against Lazio, many teams called after me, and I was told that it would be difficult to keep me if another club paid my buyout clause. I said that I wanted to stay, but that if they saw it as good business for the club, that my preference was to go to Barça, which was also my home, rather than go to another team abroad. People appreciated that I didn’t force the move. At that time there was no other option but to accept the buyout clause.”

Your children are also Valencianistas.

“My daughter is five years old and is beginning to realise that her father played football. My boy is 9 years old and is more aware of who Gerard was. They look at everything, they know that I was loved in Valencia, the connection I had with Mestalla ... I go down to Valencia three or four times a year because I have friends there. My boy sees that when I go there, people remember the night we beat Lazio, and three or four days ago he told me that he liked Valencia CF more than Barça. He wears the Puma kit with the number '14'. The other day, in the message I sent to all Valencianistas worldwide, my children asked me to do it wearing the shirt, and I am proud to show everyone that my children are Valencianistas.

How do you see the current team, led by a coach you know very well in Albert Celades?

“I know him well and we have talked about football many times. You have to give him a room to win your confidence; last year was a very good season, whilst this season I think he has faced a very difficult year in terms of injuries and setbacks. I know that he has the support of a dressing room with a lot of personality. They have welcomed him very well because he is an honest guy. I hope that Celades will be trusted in. Valencia CF have to be a team with a lot of youth and good players from outside. Celades is a football man and he has a lot of knowledge of the market.”