VCF DNA: Vicente Engonga

Vicente Engonga is the participant in VCF DNA this week, as the one-time Valencia CF and Mallorca player looks ahead to this weekend's match between the two teams.

Settled in Mallorca

I am based in Palma de Mallorca with my wife and young daughter, and I am working for the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). I have practically been living in Mallorca since I came here from Valencia in 1997. It is a fairly quiet place to live.

His arrival at Valencia CF

I came to Valencia CF at a time when they had changed their president. Valencia CF had started with high expectations, but the season did not go too well for them and it seemed that they needed some motivation. At the end of that season Jesús Martínez came to speak with me in Vigo. I said that if they reached an agreement with Celta I would go to Valencia CF. Zubizarreta, Mazinho, Salenko, Romero arrived. Mazinho was very good and was also a spectacular person. In theory we were fighting for the same position, but I learned a lot from him. You learn from the best, and for me Mazinho was the best. Valencia CF tried to 'wake up,' although in that first year we did not live up to expectations.

The Copa del Rey final

The Copa del Rey was a shame, but looking at it from the past, if we had won it, the change that occurred the following summer would not have occurred. The team had not finished being well with Parreira, Rielo stayed for the last matches. There were situations that did not match at all. The fact of losing the Copa del Rey meant that there were quite a few good people who had to leave the dressing room and Ferreira, José Ignacio, Eskurza, Sietes, Luis Aragonés arrived and the following year we were runners-up in the League.

The runner-up season

Between my first season and the year that Luis Aragonés was here, was the foundation for Valencia CF to take the step to get where they did from 2000 onwards. It laid the foundations for Valencia CF to be very scary in Europe for four seasons. What I remember most about that year is that there was a moment in which Atletico Madrid were 18 points clear of us, and we reached the last matchday with the chance to win the league. I always felt that we could win. I think we lost the title in Tenerife. We went 0-1 up and ended up losing. I think those three points ended up costing us the title. That season was wonderful, and we played good football.

Mestalla at 100% capacity

I have never seen a ground like Mestalla. I have experienced it with fans cheering for my team, and on the away team. In terms of away games I was more worried about going to Mestalla or San Mamés than the Camp Nou. Those two grounds were scary. In terms of the fans, Mestalla is something else. When the people there cheer from the beginning, it is very difficult for the opposing team.

Analysis of current Valencia CF

Hopefully Valencia CF will have a chance to win a league title soon. Something good is being built. I have the feeling of it being the same thing that I experienced, that something is being built that in two or three years can provide the basis for Valencia CF to be truly fearsome.