Valencia, who were at the center of controversy over the racism of Vinicius Junior, have narrowly avoided being relegated to the second division 35 years after winning promotion in the 1987-88 season.

Valencia drew 1-1 with Real Betis in the final match of the 38th round of the 2022-23 Spanish La Liga season at the Estadio Betito Villamarín in Seville, Spain, at 4 a.m. ET on Friday. The draw leaves Valencia with 42 points and 16th place in the standings.

They barely stayed up. Valencia was in danger of relegation. Valencia is one of the oldest and most prestigious clubs in Spain, and is famous for being the club where Lee Kang-in played as a child. David Silva, Juan Mata, and many other stars have passed through its doors. In the early 2000s, the club won two Spanish La Liga titles and frequently finished in the top half of the table, qualifying for UEFA competitions. They also won the UEFA Europa League’s predecessor, the UEL, in 2003-04 and added to their trophy cabinet by winning the Copa del Rey in 2007-08 and 2018-19.

Even when they weren’t performing well, they continued to produce good prospects and sell them for decent transfer fees, creating a virtuous cycle. In recent years, the club’s reputation has plummeted. Owner Peter Lim’s domineering behavior. If the manager or the board of directors showed the slightest deviation from his ideas, he was quick to dismiss them. Core players and top prospects often left the organization due to his dictatorial management. This has led to the team’s current slump, which has pushed them to the brink of relegation.

Ruben Barajas, who took over from Gennaro Gattuso, had a difficult task in keeping the club in La Liga. After beating Real 1-0 at home amidst the Vinicius racism controversy, it looked like Valencia would easily stay up, but a 0-1 loss to Real Mallorca, with the boomerang return of Sungol Youth’s Lee Kang-in, put them back in trouble.메이저사이트

A crucial 2-2 draw with Espanyol left them with just one point. Without a win against Betis, they would have been relegated if their rivals had won, but Real Valladolid’s 0-0 draw with Getafe left them with 40 points and 18th place, one place above the relegation zone.

Despite staying up, Valencia fans are still unhappy with the club’s administration. They are calling for the resignation of the club’s president, Peter Lim, after repeated crises in recent years.