Valencia boss Nuno helps bring the feelgood factor back to Mestalla

Andy West 06:04 06/10/2014
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  • On the up: Valencia boss Nuno.

    Valencia manager Nuno has vowed his team will continue to improve after their impressive dismantling of champions Atletico Madrid.

    Los Che maintained their excel­lent start to the season by blowing Atletico away in the early stages, racing into a three-goal lead inside the opening quarter of an hour, with an own goal from visiting defender Miranda and strikes from Andre Gomes and Nicolas Otamendi, and then producing a solid second-half to secure a 3-1 victory on Saturday.

    Nuno’s side have now amassed 17 points from their unbeaten start to the campaign, winning five games and drawing two, and this week­end’s triumph over Atletico allowed them to claim sole possession of second place.

    The Portuguese boss, who arrived from Rio Ave in the summer to replace the sacked Juan Antonio Pizzi, said: “Beating Atletico was a great day, but our best day is in the future. I am optimistic and I believe we will get better.”

    Valencia’s outstanding early season form has been rapturously  received by fans who had been dis­mayed by a poor couple of seasons during a turbulent period which has seen no less than six managers in little more than two years.

    With Singapore-based business­man Peter Lim poised to finally complete his drawn-out takeover of the club, a much-needed positive atmosphere has finally returned to Mestalla, typified by captain Dani Parejo who added: “There’s a real chemistry with the fans and that gives us strength.

    “Something special is happen­ing between us and the supporters which makes Mestalla a very diffi­cult ground for visiting teams.

    “I can understand the fans are excited. We haven’t lost against our direct rivals like Sevilla and Real Sociedad, and now we have beaten Atletico who are the defending champions.”

    However, Parejo also cautioned fans against getting carried away by adding: “We’ll see how it all unfolds week by week and if by the end, when there are seven or eight games left and we are still in the running, then we might be able to say we want to win the league.”

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