The New Mestalla - Valencia CF

Back in 2008 we took a weeks holiday to Valencia, Spain during which time we visited the homes of both Valencia and Levante with particular focus on Valencia given that the Mestalla was due to be vacated in 2009 for the team to move across the city to a brand new 75,000 all-seater stadium in the region of Benicalap.

As you may be aware we are now well into the year 2011 and still Valencia CF continue to ply their trade at the Mestalla with the new stadium still not completed. So why is this? Well....a few factors in the equation. One being that Valencia are a little strapped for cash despite the sale of top asset David Villa to Barcelona and a respectable third place finish in last season's la liga. As a result the progress on the stadium was put on hold whilst the club desperatly tried to scrape together the pennies to complete the work.

In addition to that on the 26th May 2008 four construction workers on the site of the new stadium lost their lives after a section of scaffolding collapsed. So not a great start on the new project which had the foundations laid when we first visited the city back in 2008 to the halt now called on the progress of the stadium with just the bowl shaped interior visible.

No one yet has any idea when the work will be completed as a date has not yet been reached which is a shame given that the companies who built the City of Manchester stadium at Eastlands (now of course the Etihad Stadium) and also Espanyol's brand new Estadi Cornellà-El Prat in Barcelona are behind the design and construction of the new project in Valencia.


The frustrating thing for the fan's must be that not only is the stadium uncertain to be finished but the former club president who financed the start of the construction, Juan Soler, left the club and new president Manuel Llorente with €400 million worth of debt meaning no further funds to complete the project as of now.

I do hope that Valencia do get their new stadium,which will include 3,500 underground car parking spaces, uninterrupted views of the action, a spheric-like appearance and restaurants plus a plush media area with historical art-work reflecting the areas of the city. As charismatic as the Mestalla is the futuristic elements of this ground look too good to turn down, and not only that, I can watch the games for free from the comfort of my hotel....