Rubén Baraja

Lore & Background

During the 2006–07 season, Rubén Baraja was a central figure in the Valencia CF squad under coach Quique Sánchez Flores. He played as a midfielder, while David Albelda served as the designated captain. Baraja's presence was vital to the side's structure until a significant slump in November. The source attributes this poor run of form—marked by six consecutive winless matches, starting with a 1–0 defeat to Racing de Santander—to injuries affecting several key players. Baraja is explicitly listed among those sidelined during this difficult period, alongside captain David Albelda (who was also injured), wingers Jaime Gavilán and Vicente, defenders Carlos Marchena and Asier del Horno, and forward Francesco Tavano. Despite these absences, Valencia managed a strong comeback before the winter break.

In Their Own Story

In November of the 2006–07 campaign, Valencia CF entered a difficult phase where they failed to win any of their first six matches in La Liga. The sequence began with a narrow 1–0 loss to Racing de Santander. During this slump, the team's performance suffered due to injuries to essential personnel. Rubén Baraja, serving as a midfielder for the club, was one of the key players who sustained an injury that kept him out during this critical stretch. His absence, along with that of other mainstays like David Albelda and Carlos Marchena, contributed to the team's inability to maintain their earlier form.

Reader's Guide

For the 2006–07 season, Rubén Baraja is identified in the source solely as a midfielder for Valencia CF. He was part of the squad overhauled by technical director Amedeo Carboni and coach Quique Sánchez Flores. The text notes that he was one of the players who did not fit into previous systems or had been sold previously (implied by context of squad changes), but specifically, his status in this season is defined by his role as a key midfielder before injury. He is listed among the injured players during Valencia's November slump, which included six winless matches.

Did You Know?

• Rubén Baraja was a key midfielder for Valencia CF during the 2006–07 season, but David Albelda was the team's designated captain.
• Baraja suffered an injury that contributed to Valencia's six-match winless slump in November 2006.
• Baraja was a UEFA Cup winner with Valencia in 2004, not a finalist.
• The Champions League semi-finalist achievement in 2005-06 belongs to his Valencia career, not Villarreal.