Corberán defiant as Mestalla faithful turn on him: 'I see a team that's alive'
Valencia boss Carlos Corberán faced the wrath of the Mestalla crowd during their defeat to Real Madrid, but insists he has the strength to continue.
The Mestalla faithful made their feelings crystal clear as chants of “Corberán, resign!” echoed around the famous old ground during Valencia’s defeat to Real Madrid.
Fans’ fury over substitutions
It was a proper nightmare for Valencia gaffer Carlos Corberán, who not only had to stomach another loss but also copped an earful from supporters when his name was announced over the tannoy. The home crowd were particularly miffed about his substitution decisions, especially when he hooked Beltrán off the pitch.
“I understand the disappointment directed at the manager,” Corberán explained in his post-match comments. “Beltrán was tired, and we wanted two forwards up top in the final minutes. We brought on Ramazani hoping for different options, while keeping Hugo, our top scorer, on the pitch with the hope any ball into the box might nick us a point.”
The Valencia boss also pointed to selection headaches that influenced his decisions:
- Thierry’s limited minutes available
- Foulquier’s absence (“he’ll be out for some time”)
- Limited defensive options with only Titi available as cover for Ruba Iranzo
Standing firm amid resignation calls
When directly asked if he was considering stepping down following the fans’ explicit demands, Corberán stood his ground.
“I have the strength to continue,” he insisted. “I see a team with the mentality to compete. I have the responsibility to turn this situation around.”
Despite criticism that Valencia lacks identity under his stewardship, the under-pressure manager strongly disagreed: “I don’t share the view that the team has no identity. The values my family gave me are to fight every day. I see a team that’s alive.”
Looking ahead
Corberán has spent the past month repeating that fans want actions, not words. When pushed on how sustainable the current situation is, he focused on the short-term.
“The diagnosis has to do with improving everything we can so that a week from now we achieve a positive result,” he said, maintaining his belief that “the team will find solutions and results.”
Whether the Valencia hierarchy shares his confidence remains to be seen, but for now, Corberán isn’t throwing in the towel despite the Mestalla giving him the old Spanish archer.