The La Liga leaders, who had won their last seven games in all competitions, came unstuck against their mid-table opposition, Luis Suarez’s second-half strike cancelled out late on by a fine Santi Mina strike in the 86th minute.
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“I did not stand on Abdennour’s foot on objective”, he told journalists after the match, as per Goal.
“We lacked that ease that we normally have to finish our chances in the final third”.
Barcelona coach Luis Enrique says he has no complaints following his side’s 1-1 draw with Valencia on Saturday night.
“There is nothing to reproach the team for”. But luck was on his side and it was the Uruguayan who opened the scoring just ahead of the hour, after swapping passes with Messi and then beating goalie Jaume on his near post.
Valencia scored with the one or two chances they had.
“To get the three points playing very well in the first half means that these players, who we know are very important, once they get up to speed can cause a lot of damage to any defence”, said Madrid coach Rafael Benitez.
“I think above all in the first-half we had clear chances to go in front, but I am left with how well the team played again at a place like Mestalla and it is shame to concede the equaliser at the end which leaves us with a point. If we keep doing things like this, we’ll win more games”.
Neville doesn’t officially take charge until Sunday, leaving Valencia in the hands of caretaker boss Voro and his brother Phil Neville and the depleted hosts put up a fearless fight against the superior quality of the European champions.
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Suarez himself refused to play into the idea that the incident was anything intentional or malicious, chalking it up to things that happen on the pitch during the course of a game.
