Gary Neville's Valencia™ were eliminated from the Europa League on St.Patrick's Day thanks to a late goal from Bilbao's bang-in-form striker Aduriz.
Valencia were trailing 1-0 from the first leg last week, but they scored first in the return at the Mestalla as Santi Mina levelled the tie, and things looked to be going to plan for Gary when Aderlan Santos put the home team 2-0 up on the night before half-time.
Athletic Bilbao have a strong recent history in the Europa League, and they were not going to go down without a fight, but after the referee disallowed a Valencia goal that should have stood, Gary Neville was enraged as the goal that eventually knocked his side out of the competition had a clear hand-ball in the build up.
That should not take away from this sublime assist by Raul Garcia, however:
View from behind the goal of Raul Garcia sublime flick!#Tekkers #Bilbao #EuropaLeague pic.twitter.com/4qjzOPLeLy
— Rosco (@McIntoshRosco) March 18, 2016
Magnificent.
Neville's frustration eventually got the better of him and he was sent off, forced to watch the last 15 minutes from the stands.
It remains to be seen whether or not the Englishman will be kept on at Valencia in the summer, but how unlucky his team were to be eliminated is not likely to be of much help when that decision comes to be made.
That Bilbao kit still right up there with the sexiest in Europe this season, by the way.
