Valencia manager Gary Neville has hit back at the media in Spain, claiming they find “something to pick on” when his side lose a match.
The former Manchester United captain was forced to deny accusations that he bowed to fan pressure when introducing Alvaro Negredo to the game during their 3-1 home defeat to Atletico Madrid over the weekend.
Negredo had been readied to come on in the second half until he was told to return to the bench, before eventually being introduced.
Neville later blamed Aderlan Santos’ red card for the confusion on the sidelines.
“I have nothing to add about the substitution on Sunday" he told reporters ahead of their Europa League clash with Athletic Bilbao this evening.
"I had not seen they had sent off [Aderlan] Santos, I was talking with Alvaro to send him on and I changed my mind when the sending off happened.
“There was a moment of confusion. We were thinking for some minutes. I have the right to do that.
"When we lose it always seems there is something to pick on, we had played well for 70 minutes. This is something absurd which had no effect at all on the result.”
After a rocky start to his tenure as Valencia manager, fortunes at the Mestalla have improved and Valencia have picked up five wins in their last seven games in all competitions.
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