Valencia captain Jose Luis Gaya has fumed at La Liga’s disciplinary committee after a four-game ban from last season was upheld.
Following a match last season, Gaya spoke to the media in a flash interview after the match against Osasuna which Valencia lost 2-1 last April. In it, he criticised the referee.
“The referee saw it and did not want to whistle it… We told him that the break that it was a penalty, and he says that if VAR had called it then he would have taken it away because there was no contact. You just have to swallow it. If you say something, they give you a yellow. They do what they want.”
Valencia had appealed against the four-game ban that was handed to him in the aftermath, but the Administrative Tribunal of Sports upheld the decision on Thursday, ruling him out of the coming four games.
In the hours following the decision, Gaya took to social media to complain about his treatment which he feels to be grossly unfair.
Gaya did not hold back about his feelings and explained that he would give a press conference at midday on Friday in order to fully explain those sentiments.
While it is clear that Gaya feels the victim of biased treatment, there is a risk that he ends up with a larger ban. Even so, his bold approach is to be admired.
Here is his statement in full, published on Twitter.
“I want to show my most absolute disapproval with the decision that the TAD (Administrative Tribunal of Sports) has taken today. I consider the decision to dismiss the material presented by Valencia today to be a grievance without any type of precedent.”
“Maintaining a sanction of four matches is not something I consider to be proportional. I do not seek any comparison with other colleagues of the profession, but I do not think you can apply the rules depending on the month, year or surname of the player.”
“We are in an exciting season in which we will play for many things, as much at a collective as an individual level. I would have liked to start the season with Valencia, because it is a year with important challenges ahead.”
“In addition, on an international level we are facing the most special and unique challenge a player can have: playing in a World Cup. A dream which I have worked towards for the last four years.”
“Despite everything and the enormous disappointment that this sanction brings, I will continue to work as hard as possible to be able to achieve my dreams.”
“Tomorrow at 12:00, at the Sports City of Paterna, I will attend to the media to give a more extensive opinion of what has happened. Thank you.”
Quiero mostrar mi más absoluta desaprobación con la decisión que ha tomado el TAD en el día de hoy.
Considero la decisión de desestimar el recurso presentado por el València CF un agravio comparativo sin ningún tipo de precedente.
— Jose Luis Gayà Peña (@jose_gaya) August 11, 2022
