Copa del Rey: Agonising, but won’t quit: Neville

Valencia boss in awkward position after 7-0 mauling by Barcelona in semi-final.

BARCELONA: Valencia boss Gary Neville admitted his side’s 7-0 Copa del Rey semi-final mauling at the hands of Barcelona on Wednesday was one of his worst nights in football but he refused to quit.

Luis Suarez scored four and Lionel Messi added a hat-trick as Barca rendered next week’s second-leg meaningless.

Neville has yet to win in eight La Liga games since taking his first managerial role in December and with Valencia set to visit fellow strugglers Real Betis on Sunday.



“I wish the Betis game started in 10 minutes. It’s going to be a painful three or four days,” said Neville. “This was one of my most painful days in football. They happen, I had some as a player, now as a manager, but, when you give the ball away close to your own goal three times in first 15 minutes, you get punished.”

Neville refuted suggestions he may be considering resigning and refused to answer more questions when pressed on his future.

“Positivity has been immovable in my life,” said Neville. “I just feel for the fans. It’s their club and tonight they suffered very badly. I have to make sure tomorrow morning I have a team in for training and work out how we can get in a positive frame of mind on Sunday.”



Valencia sporting director Jesus Garcia Pitarch described the match as ‘one of the worst’ and also apologised to the club’s notoriously demanding fan base.

“We apologise to our fans for one of the worst days and one of the worst results in our history in a Cup semi-final,” he told Canal Plus. 

Published in The Express Tribune, February 5^th,  2016.

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