[FM22] Trip to: Spain (w/ Valencia)

After not playing Football Manager for many, many months I finally chucked myself into a fresh save in the hope of regaining some interest in the game. I spontaneously decided on Valencia of Spain's La Liga, especially after confirming that last season irl they finished 13th - their lowest point since that 2004 title win under Rafa Benítez. I was intrigued to see what I would be able to do with them.

I'm no FM expert as is made clear by my other career posts on here, so this time I decided to play in a completely different way than I would normally. I usually attempt to control everything in save, including totally making tactics from scratch. This time, I chose a recommended preset (Gegenpress) and delegated a lot of tasks to my staff, including the use of the autopick line-up button; though still make my own tweaks here and there.

I wasn't initially expecting anything from this save so didn't have a plan to post on here, but come the first season's winter break it's going so well that I thought I may as well document it. Depending how long I play the game of course, the plan would be two updates a season - at the winter break and at the season's end.

Post 001 - 2021-22 - Winter Break:

Would you look at that?! Sitting top of the pile at Christmas! Fully unexpected on my part, I do remember hearing that the Gegenpress was OP and I guess this proves it - though I also thought I heard that SI nerfed it, so who knows. Either way I've had fun with it, which is the sole intention of the save in the first place. Also of note is that I made zero signings; mainly due to financial constraints, but I also cba to delve into transfers at the start of the save - which shows how unmotivated I was at first, tbh.

PLD: 19 // W15 D3 L1

We've secured victories over both Real Madrid and closest challengers Barcelona, whilst gaining a point with Atlético Madrid. We did get smacked 4-1 by Sevilla, though neatly hit back in the very next match with a 6-1 hammering of Levante. Elsewhere, we almost got knocked out badly from the Copa del Rey but miraculously (given my past record with penalties!) won a shoot-out to advance.

Valencia, despite their real life struggles, do have some excellent talent. 25yo Uruguayan forward Maxi Gómez has been superb, netting 13 goals in 15 games. The likes of Carlos Soler, Gonçalo Guedes, Ilaix Moriba and many others have been quality too.

I’m expecting my usual FM demise, but we will see. I'd be happy with bringing some sort of European football back to the Mestalla for 2022-23.

Great first half of the season there mate! Hopefully you can keep that momentum going

Indeed it was - and let’s hope so!🤞

Post 002 - 2021-22 - End of Season 1:

No first league title since 2004 for Valencia, unfortunately. We gave it a great go but Barcelona just went nuts, as Xavi's team won 14 of their final 15 La Liga fixtures - including against us on the penultimate day, which poetically secured the trophy for them at our expense. Although we did go excellently given who we are, we did suffer some painfully critical defeats: 3-0 vs. Mallorca (finished 17th), 4-3 vs. Rayo Vallecano (20th), 1-0 to Real Sociedad (8th), 5-0 to Celta Vigo (7th) and then defeats to the El Clásico duo. We also went out the cup to Real Betis. A shame.

Still a great season all in all, as we smashed the expectation of UEFA Europa Conference League qualification - UEFA Champions League group stage football is back at the Mestalla for 2022-23. Time will tell if we can build further next campaign or if this was just a flash in the pan.

Valencia careers have that natural difficulty due to the finances being broken but they also have the prospect of recovery because of the great amount of quality to be sold in the team. That's why I follow these so of course I'll be here too

Sad to see the tittle escape through your hands but obviously Champions League football is the way to go for now

Hope you can make the team competitive [And rich] again

#Amunt Valencia

It is a nice challenge on paper, for sure.

We just unfortunately came across an on fire Barça team, we kept them at arm's reach for a good portion of the campaign but they flew away as we stuttered. I am happy with UCL though, hopefully it'll be a springboard. I've only played a bit of (pre) pre-season but there have been a few transfer moves and even some takeover paper talk. 2022-23 ought to be interesting!

It's sad to see you lose but on the other hand, it makes the save more realistic, unlike those where people run unbeaten every league or so

Hell, hope you post as much as you can, I really enjoy those 🙂 

Good luck in the Champions League

I hope you don't get a tough group and can make it at least to the quarter-finals, it would bring you a few bucks 

I've had Valencia saves in FM20, FM21, and FM22 - the latter of which I really should return to after a break from it recently. That or restart to include the Winter Transfer update. 

I've found them to be a really good team to manage, as there is a good youth academy, sufficient reputation to attract good players and compete, but also financial limitations and two serious challengers in Real and Barca to overcome. I'd recommend Valencia to anyone looking for an FM save, they're one of my faves now, and I've sort of gained an affinity for them in real life too as a result.

For comparison, I've finished 3rd for three season in a row in my FM22 save, and won the 2023 Copa de el Rey (and 2023 and 2024 Super Copa) - really we should have won La Liga in 2023/24, but we choked in our last couple of games. I was gutted, and it's partly why I took a break from the save (well, that and a bad start to the 2024/25 season - needed to take a step back before there was an FM related laptop breakage ha ha). As I said, I might start over with the Winter Update.

Thanks for sharing - sounds like a good save, until the self-imposed break! 😆 Do share if you do return/restart!

That's the UEFA Champions League group that we have been drawn with. Liverpool, Ajax and Mainz (4th in Bundesliga last season) make for a challenging group. Top 3 is a must, though.

Elsewhere, we didn't get Hibernian - who impressively won the (unloaded) Scottish Premiership last campaign, as Celtic missed out on the top three altogether. Hibs got drawn with Manchester City, Atlético Madrid and AC Milan… ouch!

A superb way to start! MD1 - 1-4 W, Ajax (a).

I'm the proudest man in Proudsville.

That league form though… ew.

The first and last draws in that run were against 9 men and 10 men respectively, too. 🙃

How have i nor realised you're back with another thread @Skinner_  ?!?

Great read as always mate

Ha! Thanks!

Hoping to get through to the winter break soon. I haven't been able to properly sit down and play recently… two weeks I now notice, doesn't seem that long!

It happens man, we don't get as much time to game as we'd like. Hope you're well.

Agreed. Valencia careers should ALWAYS be shared 😆

That looks like real life Valencia. Nice of you keeping it that realistic 😆

Hope you can turn the tables around and get at least Champions League through the league 

I've actually had time to play, I'm fortunate in that regard, but for me it's more so that I evidently don't like the game as much as I did years back so FM isn't on my mind daily anymore - so I only really think about playing it when I have nothing else I'm interested in doing. I wish I did still love the game! I'll try and push myself into it across the next week, as when I am playing I am liking the feel of this save.

and I'm good, thank you - hope you are too!

😆 right! I'm nothing if not inconsistent!

Fingers crossed!

That's part of the reason I'm still playing FM17, I just can't get into any of the newer ones. FM22 has some good features but I just can't get into it.