23 October 2007, by Sean Gillen

Marco Caneira: “No doubt Valencia can win La Liga”

Portuguese defender blasts back at “unfair criticism”

Valencia defender Marco Caneira believes that some of the criticism levelled at his side so far this season has been unfair, and feels that the team are improving on their good start to the La Liga campaign.

After losing on the opening day of the season, Caneira’s men won five league matches in a row, as well as recording an early away victory over Schalke in the Champions League group phase.

Despite the good start, both team and manager, Quique Sanchez Flores, have come under strong criticism from the press and the fans at the Mestalla. However, a convincing 4-2 win at Deportivo at the weekend has seen Los Ches move up into third, just one point off leaders Real Madrid.

“I think some critics weren’t constructive at all,” Caneira told the Spanish press. “A team can’t play 90 minutes with high speed. There’s strong criticism around us and maybe we aren’t playing very well, but the most important thing is to win points and have a good position, like we have in the Liga.”

La Liga contenders

“The team is improving and we noticed that. Now, we have to keep on like this, because that’s the only way to achieve big things in the Liga and in other competitions. Can we win La Liga? If we win points like we are doing, we’ll be up there. Undoubtedly.”

Next up for Valencia is a trip to Norway to play Rosenborg in the third match of the Champions League group phase. With one win and one defeat from their opening two games, Caneira and company are expected to take maximum points to assert themselves at the top of the section.

“They (Rosenborg) will be very motivated,” Caneira said. “Our team has to be concentrated from the first minute, because they are very strong physically.

“They are not so well-known and it is said that they are the weakest team in the group, but we can’t think that. That would be a big mistake. It’s a Champions League clash and they will do their best to beat Valencia.

Related: Marco Caneira PortuGOAL profile