Champions League cult heroes: Gaizka Mendieta – the nearly man

Two Champions League finals, two defeats. No silverware but football fans around the turn of the century will not forget Gaizka Mendieta or Valencia.

For supporters in the UK, or in this writer’s case Ireland, Mendieta came out of nowhere in 1999 to become one of Europe’s most exciting players.

His peak would not last too long, but what a peak it was.

To celebrate the BBC having Champions League highlights this season, we will look at a Champions League cult hero each week there are games.

In the days of fledgling internet, before social media existed – and unless you had satellite television – the free-to-air Champions League and major tournaments were the way you discovered foreign players for the first time.

Mendieta was in his mid-20s when Valencia, for two years, were the talk of the town.

In 1999-2000, the Basque playmaker ran things for Hector Cuper’s Los Che. The classy midfielder, his hair blowing in the wind as he drifted past players, made key passes and scored significant goals.

He had a rocket of a shot from long range, quick feet that helped him elude opponents and could play centrally or on the wing. In summary, the ideal attacking midfielder.

Other stars of the team were Spain goalkeeper Santiago Canizares, France full-back Jocelyn Angloma, future Barcelona midfielder Gerard and Argentina forward Claudio Lopez.

Valencia had to come through a round of qualifying and were then unbeaten as they finished top of a group containing Bayern Munich.

Mendieta scored a fantastic strike in a 2-1 win at Rangers in that group, with a perfect hit on the bounce from the edge of the box that went in via the post.

“Mendieta is the type of player every team would love to have – not just skilful, but with imagination, and full of running and working for his team,” said Rangers boss Dick Advocaat afterwards., external

They also got through a second group stage – a short-lived Uefa addition – with Mendieta scoring penalties against Fiorentina and Bordeaux.

Then they eliminated Lazio and Barcelona in the two knockout rounds. He scored in both legs against Barcelona, including a fine 20-yard effort at the Nou Camp.

Mendieta’s performances were so impressive that Lazio and Barcelona ended up being his next two clubs.

Sadly for Valencia, they played Real Madrid in the final and lost 3-0. It was Real’s first European Cup win since 1966. A few more have followed since then.

The following year, nobody was going to underestimate Valencia or Mendieta – yet teams still struggled to stop them.

Vicente, Didier Deschamps, Pablo Aimar and John Carew were some of the iconic names to join them that season.

It was a season that will especially be remembered by a host of English teams’ fans.

Valencia finished above Manchester United in the second group phase – then knocked out Arsenal in the quarter-finals and Leeds United in the semi-finals.

Mendieta netted their third in the second leg against Leeds, with a wonderful low drive into the bottom corner from distance.

Bayern Munich awaited in the final in the San Siro. Three minutes in, Mendieta was fouled and stepped up to take the penalty, slotting it into the bottom corner beyond Oliver Kahn.

But Bayern came back, with Stefan Effenberg scoring a second-half penalty – and the German giants won the shootout 5-4. Captain Mendieta converted his spot-kick.

That was Bayern’s first European Cup since 1976; Valencia had been the opponents as two of Europe’s great clubs ended their Champions League droughts.

Mendieta was named the best midfielder at the Uefa Club Football Awards in both those seasons.