Javi Gracia doesn’t know what’s going on

It’s been a difficult season for Valencia, but they seem to have gotten some respite at the end of January. They won a match in the league and secured temporary signings of three players - one for each line of the team. The problem is – manager Javi Gracia was hardly informed about any of those.

Valencia beat Elche at home on Saturday to ease relegation fears in what’s been an insecure season for the team and the supporters. But rather than enjoying the relief of the important victory, a new wave of confusion is disturbing everyone at Mestalla. The club owner Peter Lim has failed to inform his manager about the incoming transfers.

Gracia faced the press after the Elche game, but journalists were more intrigued by the imminent transfer of Wolverhampton’s Italian striker Patrick Cutrone from Wolverhampton.

“I’m sorry, but I know nothing about it. Nobody has told me anything regarding the signings. I think that nobody will leave, but in terms of incoming transfers – I don’t know what’s going on.”

It’s hardly a surprise that communication within Peter Lim’s club is at an unsatisfactory level. Valencia’s controversial owner is notorious for poor treatment of his employees. After failing to support Gracia in the summer’s transfer window, the Spanish coach was determined to leave his post. Lim didn’t want to accept the resignation and Gracia got on with the job. This is the reason why the former Watford manager refused to mess with transfers last month – he simply let the club do whatever they wanted. As a result, he now got three new players without ever scouting them or asking for them to be brought in.

Patrick Cutrone, Ferro and Christian Oliva (©Reuters)

Patrick Cutrone was probably the best known of the three loanees. He started his professional career at AC Milan and impressed so much that Wolverhampton paid $30.8 million to sign him in 2019. But Cutrone couldn’t adjust to life in England and was loaned out to Fiorentina a year ago. His stint back in Serie A wasn’t a spectacular one, so the 23-year-old needs to do well in Spain if he wants to get his career back in track.

The other two signings for Valencia are Benfica’s 23-year-old central defender Francisco Ferro and Uruguayan midfielder Christian Oliva from Cagliari Calcio. They both played very little this season and arrive to Mestalla in search of first-team football.

The quality of the new recruits may be there, but Javi Gracia will undoubtedly feel aggravated with yet another episode in which he was undermined and humiliated by the club owner. It’s now a matter of personal pride and professionalism for Gracia to remain at the club and try to keep Valencia in La Liga, but it’s difficult to see him working under Peter Lim beyond the end of the current season.

LA LIGA, Matchday 21

Friday

Valaldolid- Huesca 1-3 (0-1)

/Toni 90+3 - Mir 37, 50, 57/

Saturday

Eibar - Sevilla 0-2 (0-2)

/Ocampos 28 pen, Jordan 55/

Real Madrid - Levante 1-2 (1-1)

/Asencio 13 - Morales 32, Roger Marti 78/

Valencia - Elche 1-0 (1-0)

/Vas 22/

Villareal - Real Sociedad 1-1 (1-0)

/Parejo 3 - Isak 90+3/

Sunday

Getafe - Alaves 0:0

Cadiz – Atletico Madrid 2-4 (1-2)

/Negredo 35, 71 – Suarez 28, 50 pen, Saul 44, Koke 88/

Granada - Celta 0:0

Barcelona – Athletic Club 2-1 (1-0)

/Messi 20, Griezmann 75 – Alba 49 og/

Monday

23.00: (1.98) Betis (3.45) Osasuna (3.90)

***odds are subject to change