Goran Vlaovic was part of the Valencia CF side that won the Copa del Rey in 1999. The Croatian striker started in the decisive match, and this week shared his memories of the final with VCF Media.

The start of a great era

I have many good memories of the final. We had a fantastic game. I think that it kicked off a great era for the club. Valencia CF showed that we were a big club in Spain and in Europe, and we had some glorious years.

Starting in the final

I had several problems with injuries during my time at Valencia CF. Fortunately, the coach wanted me to start, and we ended up winning the game.

A great team

It was not just the attack. The whole team was made up of great global stars. At least five of the players featured in the 1998 World Cup, which shows that Valencia CF had a great team.

A very complete performance

The most important goal is always the first that you score, because it changes the game. We had to work hard to achieve it. Once we got it, we could be a little more relaxed. Everything was easier. We were very focused and performed well in every position. We did not leave much space for the opposition, to avoid being surprised. Tactically, it was a great match and a perfect day.

An amazing celebration

I was surprised by the celebrations, because of how big and beautiful they were. All of Valencia took to the streets to celebrate the trophy with the team and the club. It is a memory that will last a lifetime.

A tough task

Forwards play to score goals. However, sometimes you are called upon to do another job and facilitate goals for others. In the final, even though I didn't score, I think I had a good game, because I had a special task. My job was to mark Juan Carlos Valerón when Atletico Madrid had the ball, since he was the organiser in their play. Claudio Ranieri told me to forget about the central defenders and to prevent him from having the ball. It wasn't hard for me to sacrifice myself like that.

A well deserved reward

I chose to come to Valencia CF because of the possibility of winning trophies. At first, I suffered some disappointment, as the first few years did not go as expected. However, little by little, we built a good team and we got the cup.