Beleaguered Valencia coach Neville knows talk is cheap, it’s survival that matters

Already 7-0 down from the first leg, Valencia know Wednesday's Copa del Rey second leg to Barcelona is a mere formality. What their under-fire coach Gary Neville needs is an elusive league win, which they surely must secure against Espanyol on Saturday if the Englishman is to feel safe in his job.

Gary Neville manager of Valencia looks on from the bench prior to the UEFA Champions League Group H match between Valencia CF and Olympique Lyonnais at Estadio Mestalla on December 9, 2015 in ValenciaShow more

Minimal security allowed a young supporter to thrust a hand written letter into Gary Neville's hand. Neville was outside the players' hotel close to Camp Nou before the first leg of Valencia's Copa del Rey semi-final against Barcelona last Wednesday. In perfect English, the letter explained how Valencia was a way of life for the fan, that life had been difficult this season but how he had confidence that the English coach would get things right.

The fan added that he could not afford the high ticket prices which Barcelona charged, but that he would watch the game on television and would be there in spirit. To the young man's delight, Neville made contact with him and left him two complimentary tickets.

Read more:

Whether the supporter still retains the same confidence in the Englishman after his side were beaten 7-0 is unclear. There is little shame in losing to an all-conquering in-form Barca, but seven goals was Valencia’s worst defeat in 23 years, and the hammering came on top of a dreadful run of results which has seen Valencia without a league win since November.

As journalists pushed Neville following the capitulation, asking if he would resign, he said: “Let’s be clear: on Sunday we have to deliver.”

Sunday meant Real Betis away; the team with the worst home record in La Liga and only one win, against David Moyes's Real Sociedad. They made it two against Neville's Valencia, a 1-0 defeat piling more pressure on the former Manchester united and England defender.

The Valencia coach reckoned his team deserved to win. That might have washed had they been winning before, but Valencia have slid to sit just four points above the relegation zone. Nowhere near good enough for a giant of Spanish football.

Criticism of players from dejected supporters has been frequent and damaging. They label 22-year-old professional footballers “mercenaries”, hammering their confidence. Criticism of the club’s Singaporean owner, Peter Lim, has become more vocal too, with the tiny pocket of away fans singing against him at Betis. And the criticism has swung sharply towards the coach, too.

Fans, former players and journalists are having their say. Valencia legend David Albelda tweeted: “Listening to Neville I get feeling he doesn’t consider himself guilty of anything.”

Neville is in the eye of the storm, working in the most difficult environment, yet he continues to communicate well. It is a bad time, no doubt, and in polls up to 90 per cent of supporters want him gone. Angry fans were waiting for him at the airport after the team returned from Seville. He stopped to speak to one, who said, in English, “Your place is not here, it’s in England.”

Poll: Should Gary Neville be given more time as Valencia manager?

Neville’s given up a lot to make sure that his place is in Spain. He has moved his family and put his children into school. They are in a home, not a hotel. He is learning Spanish every day. He is serious about his work and he has never ducked his media responsibilities. He has spoken to the media 30 times in his 60 days in charge, but words start to count for little when results are so poor.

He is tired of the sound of his own voice; he knows action speaks louder than words, but lengthy pre- and-post match talks to the media are expected.

Neville had good intentions ahead of Wednesday’s second leg. He wanted fans to get into Mestalla on reduced priced tickets and cheer their young team on to the type of performance they put in when they held Barca in December and Real Madrid in January.

The disaster at Camp Nou rendered such ideas irrelevant. Neville will play even younger players; the stadium will be half empty, as it was in the last round against Las Palmas. Though a decent performance will lift spirits, La Liga survival is paramount.

Owner Lim will not be bullied into changing coaches, as he felt he was last time, yet relegation would be a disaster for Valencia. They are desperate for a win and victory on Saturday at home to Espanyol showing even worse form than Valencia is vital.

Espanyol were beaten 5-0 at home by Real Sociedad on Monday. Valencia simply must beat them.

Despite 100th goal for Atletico Madrid Fernando Torres’s returns have begun to diminish

Atletico Madrid were mediocre as they came from behind to beat Eibar at home in a game last Saturday which will be remembered for Fernando Torres scoring his 100th goal for the club – 15 years after he scored his first, as a 17-year-old against Albacete in 2001.

Then, Atletico were in the second division for the first time since 1934. Now, they are one of the best teams in the world. But Torres, 31, is back at the place he calls home, on loan from AC Milan until the end of the season.

Torres waited half a season for the goal, slipping down his manager's estimations in a team for whom only one striker, Antoine Griezmann, is scoring regularly. Another, Jackson Martinez, was sold at a profit to a team in the Chinese Super League and Torres will be in demand in emerging football markets if he leaves Atletico, as expected, in the summer.

Ideas of Torres signing permanently, albeit on a much reduced salary, have been hit by Atletico’s transfer ban but also by his contribution to the team since returning to the Vicente Calderon a year ago after seven years away.

Over 40,000 fans welcomed him home and while Torres has had his moments, scoring against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu for the first time and against Barcelona, he scored only three league goals last season and has managed the same so far this.

A childhood Atleti fan who joined the club age 10, and played for them when still a boy, Torres is a hero at the Calderon. Fans understood why he had to move away at Liverpool, Chelsea and Milan because the Atleti he left were in a mess. They were grateful that he helped them back into the top flight before leaving and continued to remember them as he became one of football’s best strikers; Torres waved an Atleti flag when Spain won the World Cup.

Torres is not close to being the player he was at Liverpool. Slower and less prolific, Simeone has only started him in only seven league games this season. His last start was last year and he came off the bench against Eibar to get that 100th goal. The relief was tangible, the praise unanimous.

“It was emotional,” Simeone said. “I want to say an enormous congratulation to him.”

Simeone has been kind to Torres and always respectful to an Atleti legend, but players have to be good enough to make his first XI and it is hard to see how the ageing striker can do that.

There might be more goals to come, more glimpses of past genius and memories to cherish. Torres, who has suffered injuries, could also play a secondary role as a squad player which he has almost become accustomed to, but Atletico can no longer rely on him as a principal provider of goals. To score the 100th brought relief and congratulations, and maybe even a happy ending for the player at the Calderon.

Player of the week

Real Sociedad’s Brazilian Jonathas was signed from Elche by David Moyes in the summer of 2015, but it soon became apparent that he did not have the full confidence of the Scot. Injuries did not help, but Jonathas is now playing every week. He scored twice as they beat Espanyol 5-0 away on Monday, his best performance of the season.

Game of the week

Valencia v Espanyol on Saturday. It is unlikely to be the best game, but the pressure on both teams is immense with Espanyol’s Romanian coach Constantin Galca, who was only appointed in December, already fighting for his job.

Barcelona will be vengeful at home to a Celta Vigo side who put four past them in Galicia earlier in the season.

What else?

Before a sell-out 25,000 crowd in the Valencian sun, Levante put in a very encouraging performances against a laboured Barcelona. They lost 2-0, but while they remain bottom, their wise January transfers should start to pay dividends against weaker foes. As with last season, Levante need to start climbing the table.

Fellow strugglers Granada were also impressive against a giant. At home to Real Madrid, it took a late, great Luca Modric strike into the top corner to decide a game which Zinedine Zidane's side could easily have lost, with Cristiano Ronaldo again struggling to get in the match. With their 2-1 win, Madrid stay in the title race.

Granada also welcomed back their former player Odion Ighalo, who has been a revelation in the Premier League with Watford under Quique Sanchez Flores. Ighalo soaked up applause from fans who wished he was on the pitch still playing for them, but they did have Adalberto Penaranda, an 18-year-old Venezuelan on loan from Watford.

Watford and Granada have the same owners and the Venezuelan will go to Watford in 2017. He looks a prospect.

Also at the bottom, it was a big win for Rayo Vallecano at the bottom of the table as they beat Las Palmas. With the three of the four bottom clubs playing well and looking like they could pick up points, Valencia need to get motoring.

Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE

Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport