Nuno Santo has reportedly lost the Valencia dressing room over his handling of Alvaro Negredo ahead of Saturday’s trip to Celta Vigo in La Liga.
Superdeporte claims Los Che’s players are fully behind the striker, who is due to sit out his sixth straight game, to the extent that “the fracture is total and there is no turning back” with their Coach.
Negredo is also understood to have taken issue with Nuno’s hint after Wednesday’s 1-0 defeat to Gent in the Champions League that he had not been training hard enough.
“It’s a game we want to play so we can make up for our performance in Belgium,” the Portuguese trainer said at a Press conference on Friday.
“We must take pride, play with confidence and demonstrate our competitiveness.
“We must leave everything [on the pitch] and fight for every ball as if it were the last. Solidarity and commitment are the pillars on which we must build on.
“We must transform our desire and words into actions. Everyone must think about doing their best for the sake of the team.
“[On Negredo], I’ve never turned away a player who has shown me that he wants to be in my squad.
“He’s not an option [for Celta]. It’s not that he’s trained badly, but we believe in the players who have been selected for Vigo.
“I don’t believe [former defender Joao Pereira, also exiled before joining Hannover last January] has much to do with [Negredo].
“Now is the next step, which is to think about the team’s performance, how and knowing what to do in order to bounce back, pick up points and move up the table.
“All I want to achieve is based on struggle and determination. My day consists of hard work and dedication to what I do.
“[Celta will be difficult] as they’re one of the teams who have started the League better for their performances, points and quality they possess.
“[On Nolito], we’re not basing our game plan on one player. We know Nolito’s potential, he’s very strong and decisive in one-on-ones, but we must stop Celta as a team and not think individually.
“We’re a united team who want to take our situation forward. We don’t believe in anything other than our union and defending our badge with the responsibility of giving everything we’ve got.”
