'La Cartuja Heroes': Amedeo Carboni

Amedeo Carboni was one of the 'Heroes of La Cartuja' side who won the 1999 Copa del Rey with Valencia CF. On the occasion of his birthday, the club legend spoke to VCF Media this week to share his memories of the cup final and his playing days.

Valencia CF's return to La Cartuja 

"Many years have passed, but we hope that the stadium will bring us luck again".

A tough competition 

"They were tremendous years. It was a very beautiful occasion. We reached the final after eliminating Real Madrid and Barcelona, and it had been many years since Valencia CF had won a trophy. At that time, all the teams fielded their best sides in the cup, and we beat the three best teams in Spain -since we beat Atletico Madrid in the final".

A key goal 

"The goal to make it 3-0 gave us peace of mind. When it is 2-0, your opponents can score at any time, and even if there are 3-4 minutes to go it seems like there is an age to go, because they can equalise. With the goal from Claudio Lopez, we felt like we had already won".

The start of a golden age 

"That season started badly but, with the arrival of Ranieri, we began to focus. The season ended well and an important group for the future began to form".

Tactical balance 

"At the beginning, Ranieri liked to play with five at the back. The mentality was, first of all, not to concede. Then it was up to those up front to win the games. In the squad there were many players who liked to have the ball and Ranieri, when he arrived, built a more balanced team on a tactical level. To do this, many young players like Farinós, who was a spectacular midfielder, came on board. There was also Mendieta, who had been about to leave on loan, and became an important player within the team".

The celebration 

"It was an explosion of celebration in the whole city. It was the start of the best era for the club, not only on a sporting level, but also on a social level. The celebration helped a lot for the city to become a place renowned in Europe".