Valencia coach Gary Neville believes his players like to make the club's supporters suffer but said they deserved to see the side qualify for the Copa del Rey semi-finals.
ADVERTISEMENT
Valencia like to make the fans suffer - Neville
Valencia coach Gary Neville believes his players like to make the club's supporters suffer but said they deserved to see the side qualify for the Copa del Rey semi-finals.
___4619927___https:______static.pulse.com.gh___webservice___escenic___binary___4619927___2016___1___29___9___valencia-cropped_1a8y4ay6is03n11ejqs3aqsrfm_2
Recommended articles
A 1-0 win over Las Palmas on Thursday saw Valencia book a spot in the last four of the competition after a 2-1 aggregate win over their La Liga counterparts.
Neville is still without a win at Valencia in the league after seven attempts but was happy to deliver some joy to the club's fans via the cup.
"I'm delighted with the clean sheet but I thought we made it damn hard for ourselves," the former Manchester United defender said.
ADVERTISEMENT
"I think we like to make the Valencia fans suffer a bit. But I'm happy for the fans that we give them a semi-final.
"They deserve this moment because they've been patient with the club and me now for five-six weeks. We need to give them joy."
Rodrigo scored the only goal of the game in the second leg to seal passage to the semi-finals, but Valencia were just holding on to the result in the last 30 minutes of the tie.
"Tonight I thought the game was comfortable for us for 60 minutes," Neville added. "I thought like last week [in the first leg] we probably should have scored two or three goals.
"But then towards the end we suffered quite a bit. It was a case of our mentality, I've played in those games myself, where you protect what you have rather than playing your normal game and continue to do what we were doing in the first 60 minutes.
ADVERTISEMENT
"As a coach I am happy with the result. But last week against Las Palmas and against Deportivo [1-1 draw in La Liga] I was happier with the performance.
"But the players gave everything and they worked so hard. We needed to hang on, and the momentum continues tonight."
Valencia are joined in the semi-finals by Sevilla, Celta Vigo and Barcelona.
JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!
ADVERTISEMENT
Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:
Email: eyewitness@pulse.com.gh
Recommended articles
Video: Watch how the Black Starlets beat Serbia 5-1 in the UEFA U-16 tournament
Kurt Okraku’s administration is the best ever in Ghana’s history – Mohammed Polo
The Intersection of Enthusiasm: United Kingdom's local motorsports and Ghana's rising stars
Video: Watch Fatawu Issahaku’s hat trick in Leicester City’s win against Southampton
RTU suspends coach Abdulai Mumin over match-fixing allegations
Hearts of Oak are better off playing with an empty post than using Richard Attah – Taylor
Sorry for causing you a lot of pain – Dr. Prosper Ogum apologizes to Kotoko fans
Govt hasn't paid us – African Games gold medalist Winnifred Ntumi 'cries' out
