Subsequently, González joined fellow league club Valencia CF for 1,300,000 pesetas, being teammate to also Argentines Pablo Aimar and Roberto Ayala for several seasons and contributing with 31 matches and two goals in the 2001–02 campaign as his team won the league title after a 31-year wait. Following the emergence of younger Vicente he became surplus to requirements – only 13 appearances and 546 minutes of action in his last year, which also included a run-in with manager Rafael Benítez– and left the "Che" as a free agent; additionally, he amassed UEFA Champions League combined totals of 31 matches and five goals as they reached the final in 2000 and 2001, and was granted Spanish nationality in early January 2001.