Valencia CF’s debt spiral and thin squad, 40 years on from relegation to Segunda División | OneFootball

40 years on, Valencia CF’s relegation was sealed by a 3-0 defeat at Camp Nou on 12 April 1986 and a Cádiz v Betis draw the following day, ending 55 straight top-flight seasons. According to Superdeporte, the fall had been years in the making.

Valencia said paying for 1982 World Cup stadium works left heavy debt and hastened decline. By September 1985, liabilities exceeded 1,700 million pesetas, including more than 500 million to the tax office, later put above 2,000 million amid falling membership.

Wages went unpaid and arrivals such as Muñoz Pérez and Sánchez Torres underwhelmed, the centre-forward finished with one league goal. The crisis pushed academy products like Quique and Voro into the fight, while Robert Fernández missed five months.

Results bared the damage, eight wins, nine draws and 17 defeats, 38 scored and 62 conceded, for 16th place in an 18-team league, one point shy of Cádiz. A brutal second half brought 13 games without victory between matchdays 18 and 30.

A 6-0 at Atocha against Real Sociedad cost Óscar Rubén Valdez his job and Alfredo Di Stéfano returned. Wins over Sevilla and Hércules offered late hope, but Barcelona’s 3-0 left survival to others and Cádiz’s draw with Betis confirmed the drop.

Disillusionment grew, with unrest outside the Luis Casanova and membership sliding. Pedro Cortés urged reflection, said he would offer his post and insisted the club would not disappear. Robert Fernández, Pep Claramunt and Pasieguito cited errors and poor form, yet asked for calm.

Source: Superdeporte