Two Champions League final defeats - why Mendieta remains a cult hero

Two Champions League finals, 2 defeats. No silverware but shot fans astir the crook of the period volition not hide Gaizka Mendieta oregon Valencia.

For supporters successful the UK, oregon successful this writer's lawsuit Ireland, Mendieta came retired of obscurity successful 1999 to go 1 of Europe's astir breathtaking players.

His highest would not past excessively long, but what a highest it was.

To observe the BBC having Champions League highlights this season, we volition look astatine a Champions League cult leader each week determination are games.

In the days of fledgling internet, earlier societal media existed - and unless you had outer tv - the free-to-air Champions League and large tournaments were the mode you discovered overseas players for the archetypal time.

Mendieta was successful his mid-20s erstwhile Valencia, for 2 years, were the speech of the town.

In 1999-2000, the Basque playmaker ran things for Hector Cuper's Los Che. The classy midfielder, his hairsbreadth blowing successful the upwind arsenic helium drifted past players, made cardinal passes and scored important goals.

He had a rocket of a changeable from agelong range, speedy feet that helped him elude opponents and could play centrally oregon connected the wing. In summary, the perfect attacking midfielder.

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

Valencia had to travel done a circular of qualifying and were past unbeaten arsenic they finished apical of a radical containing Bayern Munich.

Mendieta scored a fantastic onslaught successful a 2-1 triumph astatine Rangers successful that group, with a cleanable deed connected the bounce from the borderline of the container that went successful via the post.

"Mendieta is the benignant of subordinate each squad would emotion to person - not conscionable skilful, but with imagination, and afloat of moving and moving for his team," said Rangers brag Dick Advocaat afterwards., external

They besides got done a 2nd radical signifier - a short-lived Uefa summation - with Mendieta scoring penalties against Fiorentina and Bordeaux.

Then they eliminated Lazio and Barcelona successful the 2 knockout rounds. He scored successful some legs against Barcelona, including a good 20-yard effort astatine the Nou Camp.

Mendieta's performances were truthful awesome that Lazio and Barcelona ended up being his adjacent 2 clubs.

Sadly for Valencia, they played Real Madrid successful the last and mislaid 3-0. It was Real's archetypal European Cup triumph since 1966. A fewer much person followed since then.

The pursuing year, cipher was going to underestimate Valencia oregon Mendieta - yet teams inactive struggled to halt them.

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

It was a play that volition particularly beryllium remembered by a big of English teams' fans.

Valencia finished supra Manchester United successful the 2nd radical signifier - past knocked retired Arsenal successful the quarter-finals and Leeds United successful the semi-finals.

Mendieta netted their 3rd successful the 2nd limb against Leeds, with a fantastic debased thrust into the bottommost country from distance.

Bayern Munich awaited successful the last successful the San Siro. Three minutes in, Mendieta was fouled and stepped up to instrumentality the penalty, slotting it into the bottommost country beyond Oliver Kahn.

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

That was Bayern's archetypal European Cup since 1976; Valencia had been the opponents arsenic 2 of Europe's large clubs ended their Champions League droughts.

Mendieta was named the champion midfielder astatine the Uefa Club Football Awards successful some those seasons.

And that was the extremity of that.

"Back then, it was precise achy but present we realise however hard it is to execute a Champions League last spot and we did that 2 years successful a row," he told BBC Sport successful an interrogation successful 2013.

"In perspective, we tin bask that accomplishment much arsenic erstwhile you suffer finals you bash not admit them capable - truly, it was an unthinkable achievement."

Mendieta near for Lazio successful the summertime of 2001 for £29m, the sixth biggest transportation of each time.

His clip successful Rome was a nightmare and a indebtedness spell astatine Barcelona followed earlier helium ended his vocation with Middlesbrough, wherever helium won the 2004 League Cup.

All 40 of his Spain caps came betwixt 1999 and 2002.

After retiring helium settled down successful adjacent Yarm with his English woman Helen.

And Valencia? They ne'er reached different Champions League final. In information they were not adjacent successful it successful 2001-02.

They are 1 of lone 3 teams - on with Atletico Madrid and French broadside Reims - to scope aggregate European Cup finals without winning one.

"It took a portion to physique that squad up," he told the BBC successful 2009. "Getting the close players takes clip and erstwhile they were determination a batch of them stayed for rather a fewer seasons - adjacent aft I near they won the league and the Uefa Cup.

"For a batch of the players it was the champion infinitesimal successful their careers. We believed successful something, believed we could make something, and erstwhile you person that content successful athletics you consciousness you are susceptible of anything.

"I look backmost present and I americium thrilled astatine however overmuch I achieved. When I started to play shot I ne'er dreamed I could scope the level I got to."

Mendieta present works arsenic a shot pundit and is progressive successful respective businesses.

The BBC volition amusement highlights of the Champions League this season.

For the adjacent 3 years, from 22:00 connected the Wednesday of Champions League matchweeks, determination volition beryllium match-by-match highlights disposable connected BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app, positive a highlights amusement connected BBC One astatine 22:40.

There volition besides beryllium clips online and connected societal media.