MADRID • There were repeated calls from supporters for Valencia coach Marcelino to be sacked when the Spanish LaLiga club were languishing in 12th position last December. Look who's having the last laugh now?
The 53-year-old Spaniard was feted by the travelling fans after the final whistle at the Estadio Jose Zorrilla on Saturday as Valencia secured Champions League football for the second year in a row by beating Real Valladolid 2-0 in their final match of the season.
Valencia, owned by Singaporean billionaire Peter Lim, clinched fourth place with 61 points, two ahead of Getafe, who drew 2-2 at home to Villarreal. Marcelino's side had to win to make sure of fourth spot and goals from Carlos Soler and Rodrigo guaranteed that.
Club president Anil Murthy told the Straits Times in a phone interview: "In the last five years since Peter bought the club, we've been in the Champions League three times and qualifying two times in a row is quite a feat.
"This year, we made history in the Spanish league. No team has come from such a difficult first half (of the season) to climb back up all the way to reach the fourth spot."
"It has been a very difficult year with a lot of demanding games," added captain Daniel Parejo. "We didn't make the best start but, by working hard, we've managed to turn things around."
Valencia will be looking to finish the season on a high when they face LaLiga champions Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final at the Estadio Benito Villamarin in Seville on Saturday.
QUICK REBOUND
This year, we made history in the Spanish league. No team has come from such a difficult first half (of the season) to climb back up all the way to reach the fourth spot.
'' ANIL MURTHY, club president, on Valencia working hard and turning things around after making a wretched start this season.
Qualifying for the Champions League and reaching the Copa del Rey final had seemed like a distant dream early on in the season when they won only one of their first 11 league matches.
The rebellion against Marcelino began during a 1-1 draw in December with Sevilla when angry fans waved handkerchiefs, the traditional signal of dissatisfaction in Spanish stadiums.
The protests reached boiling point during a game against then basement club Huesca later that month and not even a last-gasp winning goal could quell the anger, as fans continued to furiously boo the team and their coach after the final whistle.
After a limp defeat by Alaves in January, reports were rife that Marcelino would be sacked by Valencia, but he was helped by public support from his players and clung on to his job.
In the space of four months, Marcelino has gone from persona non grata to becoming the first Valencia coach to secure successive top-four finishes since Unai Emery in 2012.
They also reached the semi-finals of the Europa League before losing to Arsenal 7-3 on aggregate.
Murthy said: "It's a mixture of factors (for the turnaround).
"What happened in the first half (of the season) was that our defence was good, but we weren't scoring enough goals so we had to change our strike force.
"(Michy) Batshuayi went to Crystal Palace and we brought in a couple of players. The big difference in the second half was that we started scoring more goals and chalked up 38 points compared with 23 in the first (half of the season).
"And, while most people expected us to change our coach, we chose stability and decided to support Marcelino."
And Murthy hinted that Marcelino will stay on at the Mestalla, saying: "He has proven himself in the two years as our coach.
"In football, results matter the most and he has delivered results."
Asked about the club's plans for next season, the former diplomat said the club's focus is solely on the "huge" Copa del Rey final against Barcelona.
"The first objective is to beat Barcelona on Saturday," he said.
"Now that we're in the Champions League, we will refine the team with players who can compete with the best in Europe.
"This year, we beat Manchester United (2-1 in Valencia) in the Champions League. I don't mind getting Liverpool in our group next year."
REUTERS
- Additional reporting by Xener Gill
Ikhsan Fandi scores first competitive goal for Norwegian club Ikhsan Fandi's (blue boots) Raufoss teammates chase him after his last-gasp goal gave his side a 3-2 win over Skeid Fotball. PHOTO
Ikhsan Fandi scores 1st goal for Norwegian club Raufoss with
May 27, 2019 · Aston Villa in Premier League heaven with Wembley play-off win over Derby masterminded their return to the Premier League. league victories across March and April that propelled them into
The Straits Times - Breaking News, Lifestyle & Multimedia News
Cesc Fabregas completes move from Chelsea to reunite with Thierry Henry at Monaco Description: Cesc Fabregas completes move to Monaco: The Spain international teams up with former Arsenal teammate Thierry Henry after signing a three-and-a-half-season deal with the Principality club.
Cesc Fabregas completes Monaco move from Chelsea
Qatar is expected to face a hostile crowd at the sold out 43,000-seat Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, where the emirate's sport authority offered free tickets to UAE fans. Qatari nationals, who previously traveled freely in the Gulf, are banned from entering the UAE unless they receive a special permit.
Calls for UAE to be punished after crowd violence mars Qatar
Portland blaze Denver to make bow in series - theworldnews.net
Football: Pep Guardiola sorry to have derailed Manuel
Football Federation Australia hailed the move as "an outcome that delivers on the gender equity principle of 'same base pay for same base work'." "This means that players in the Westfield W-League and Hyundai A-League will receive the same minimum remuneration hourly rate," said FFA Head of Leagues Greg O'Rourke.
Australian female players to earn same base pay as men
Borussia Dortmund did not make it through the Champions League group stage last term, but Mario Gotze expects more this season. Bundesliga: Gotze predicts Borussia Dortmund success in Champions
Babel strike leaves Cardiff on brink of relegation | Football
Cincinnati had been unable to convert chances in the top of the ninth, 10th and 11th innings after it stranded a combined five runners on base in the last three innings of a 2-1 loss to the Cubs on Sunday. "A real frustrating game," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "It was just really a chance to have a better finale with this series.
Reds made to pay for missed chances - The Carmarthenshire Herald
Defender Jan Vertonghen (L) celebrates with teammate Son Heung-Min (R) after scoring their second goal during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg football match between Tottenham
watch bangladesh premier league live streaming
soccer tv live football streaming garuda select
watch coppa america live streaming dailymotion
watch uefa champions league live streaming free online india
watch coppa america live streaming online free
watch champions league soccer live streaming
soccer tv live football streaming portugal
watch champions league live streaming canada
how to watch soccer live streaming free
watch premier league live streaming qatar
watch soccer world cup live streaming
watch epl live streaming free no sign up
watch coppa america live streaming rcti
watch soccer live streaming zimbabwe
watch uefa champions league live streaming free online reddit
super soccer tv live streaming garuda select
watch live soccer streaming on iphone
watch coppa america live streaming ronaldo 7
apps to watch live streaming soccer
free watch soccer live streaming
watch bangladesh premier league live streaming online free
live football watch free live football streaming free soccer
watch premier league live streaming vf
watch champions league live streaming putlockers
watch coppa america live streaming zip
watch premier league matches live streaming
watch champions league live streaming now
watch champions league live streaming kenya
watch champions league final live streaming online
watch champions league live streaming now tv
watch champions league live streaming now free
watch champions league live streaming xbox
watch champions league live streaming bein sport
watch premier league live stream reddit
watch soccer aid live stream online
watch bangladesh premier league live streaming free
watch soccer live streaming kenya vs ethiopia
watch coppa america live streaming xbox
watch soccer live - live football streaming
watch soccer online free streaming live batman
super soccer tv live streaming persib
how to watch uefa champions league live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming qatar
watch premier league live streaming zee tv
watch premier league live streaming live free
where to watch free live soccer streaming online
watch tamil nadu premier league live streaming
watch champions league live streaming espn
watch champions league live streaming zee5
how to watch champions league live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming zee5
watch premier league live streaming online
watch premier league live streaming free
watch coppa america live streaming hd free
watch coppa america live streaming hd
watch soccer online free streaming live app
watch champions league live streaming match
watch soccer live streaming qatar
watch champions league live stream uk
watch soccer online free streaming live iphone
watch soccer online free streaming live p2p
free watch champions league live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming video
watch premier league live streaming yify
watch coppa america live streaming jamaica
watch premier league net live manchester united stream channel
watch champions league live streaming ptv sports
watch uefa champions league live streaming free online youtube
watch coppa america live streaming hotstar
watch live english premier league online free streaming
watch soccer online free streaming live without registration
watch live soccer online free streaming now
watch coppa america live streaming ronaldo7
watch live stream soccer games online free
watch soccer live streaming xfinity
watch champions league live streaming video
watch premier league live streaming xfinity
watch live soccer game barcelona vs real madrid
live ipl live streaming- watch indian premier league 2013 online
watch coppa america live streaming online
watch soccer saturday live stream
watch afghanistan premier league live stream
watch coppa america live streaming manchester united
watch premier league stream reddit
watch champions league live streaming zee tv
watch soccer online free streaming live south africa
watch premier league live streaming youtube
watch soccer online free streaming live no registration
super soccer tv live streaming piala dunia
watch champions league live streaming bola
watch coppa america live streaming espn
watch premier league darts live stream
watch champions league live streaming cricfree
watch champions league live streaming xfinity
watch soccer online free streaming live canada
watch champions league live streaming mobile
watch coppa america live streaming live free
watch soccer live stream app
watch champions league live streaming xbox one
live tv soccer live stream - live3s.com
watch champions league live streaming pc
watch coppa america live streaming indosiar
watch coppa america live streaming indonesia
watch champions league live streaming eng
watch soccer online free streaming live
tv soccer live stream sky
watch soccer online free streaming live bbc
watch soccer games live stream free
watch coppa america live streaming india vs england
watch premier league live streaming juventus vs manchester united
watch coppa america live streaming pc
watch live soccer streaming free android
watch soccer online free streaming live youtube
watch soccer live streaming zee tv
watch soccer online free live streaming hd
watch soccer online free streaming live cricfree
watch coppa america live streaming now
watch live streaming soccer world cup
watch indian premier league live stream online
watch coppa america live streaming bein sport
watch coppa america live streaming xbox one
watch soccer online free streaming live hd
watch live streaming soccer online espn3
watch champions league semi final draw live stream
watch coppa america live streaming cricfree
#footballmeme #sunderlandafc #cr7 #manchestercity #neymar #arsenalnews #realmadrid #oasisengland #goodday #rugby #midnight #bayernmunich #panini #nutmeg #arsenalfantv #soccer #bestshishacafedubai #comico #cappucino #kickoff #lovefootball #mancity #oasis #fcbarcelona #frasirap #Vip45 #messi #coyg #myfootballuniverse #lionelmessi #leomessi #Suarez #afcnews #league2 #transfernews #beatifulgame #knuckleball #pagani #goal #thebeatles #leicestercity #Fcb #commento #liverpoolcity #BMW #footballmemes #streamingbolaid #kroenkeout #realmadrid #arsenal #satira #americanfootball #england
No comments:
Post a Comment