Since former striker Ronaldo Nazario took control in September 2018, the team, which returned to the elite after four years in the second division, has remained in the First Division.
For more than two years as owner and president of Real Valladolid, Ronaldo, “The Phenomenon”, tried to make the team get positive results on the field to achieve his big plans for the club.
“The goal is to grow, to stabilize in the first division. In five years, he will fight to qualify for the UEFA Champions League,” the Brazilian said at the “World Cup” in Madrid in September 2019. “Once we manage to stay first [división], restructure the club and do everything we intend, it is normal to fight for a place in the Champions League. It’s scary now, but why not think about the sea? “
The objectives also involve the purchase of the José Zorrilla Municipal Stadium. The venue has a capacity of 27,618 people and Ronaldo plans to turn it into an arena, to be called Valladolid Arena, for 40,000 people.
Since the former striker took control in September 2018, the team, which returned to the elite after four years in the second division, remained in LaLiga in 2018-19 in 16th place, four points above the decline zone. In 2019-20, they surpassed the 13th place, something that had not happened since 2002-03.
In the current campaign, the fight, at least for now, continues to flee relegation, but the team has shown an improvement in the latest results. After starting the season with five losses and three draws, the team finished last in the standings after eight rounds, with three wins, two draws and a relegation in the next six games.
He Valladolid now they are on the 18th position, the first in the relegation zone, but they have 14 points, two more than Getafe, which is on the 11th position. Their next challenge and the chance to get a big victory will be on Tuesday, when they will host Barcelona.
But who are the main names in Ronaldo’s team?
to the bank is coach Sergio, who dropped to the second division in 2017-18, won five games in eight games and led the team to the playoffs and then promoted. The 44-year-old former midfielder has previously managed Spanish between 2014 and 2015. As a footballer, he spent a lot of time with the Catalan team and with Deportivo La Coruña.
For this season, the coach saw the club making the most expensive purchases and sales in history. While defender Mohammed Salisu was traded for 12 million euros with Southampton, striker Shon Weissman arrived with Wolfsberger for 4 million euros. The figures are from Transfermarkt.
The 24-year-old was the top scorer in the last edition of the Austrian league, scoring 30 goals in 31 games. The closest was Patson Daka from Red Bull Salzburg with 24 goals. In his current team, Weissman has scored just two goals, one less than Marcos Andre, the league’s top scorer. The 24-year-old Brazilian has been in Spain since 2015 and played for Mirandes borrowed last season, scoring 12 goals in the second division in 2019-20.
Last season’s top scorer was Sergi Guardiola, who has scored eight times and been at the club since early 2019, but has nothing to do with him. Barcelona, despite the fact that he shared his family name with a Catalan legend. The same cannot be said of 31-year-old goalkeeper Jordi Masip, who was revealed by Barcelona and for the one who played four games before going to Valladolid in mid-2017 and has been a regular since his arrival. He will now try to prevent his old team from leaving the relegation zone.
One step at a time for the club he dreams of Champions League.