Valencia's coach, Javi Gracia, denied that they had “thrown the Cup” through the line-up, with up to nine changes, which he took in the match in which his team was eliminated against Sevilla (3-0) in the round of 16 , as he defended that they did not have many players “due to discomfort, due to injuries”.
“The sensations have not been as expected and we do not feel well. We have not offered our best face, but I do not consider that we threw anything. Before the game I had that vision that any decision I made about the eleven was going to be classified as irresponsible “, said the coach from Pamplona at a press conference.
Gracia justified the changes by remembering that some “players drag many minutes and you have to think about them”, but insisted that he has not made “an eleven to throw the Cup”, although “today's game has not been good and the rival has been much superior “.
“I was excited about the Cup, but there is a responsibility with regard to the players and with the discomfort, injuries and this continuity of matches we have had to rotate, since it is not possible for there to be so many players who repeat and we have to have all of them “he added.
The Valencian coach stressed that “it was a tough game, which has been against very early” and in which “the goals conceded have conditioned it.”
He stated that, “despite this, the team has not lost intensity” against a “rival who has been much superior”, and pointed out that he does not believe that their rotations have determined the elimination because they have arranged “an alignment similar to that of other commitments. cupbearers “, with changes to” an important game on Saturday “against Elche.
He also recalled that “with this squad” he must “achieve the objectives”, which amounts to salvation, so that “with this continuity of matches it is not a matter of tiring the players of minutes”, although he hopes that “with commitment and work things in the League are going to improve “.