Valencia fined after water bottle is thrown at Barcelona players

Valencia have been fined 1,500 euros (£1,340) after a water bottle was thrown from the stands at Barcelona's players during Saturday's La Liga game.

The Spanish Football Federation warned Valencia that it may close its Mestalla Stadium if similar incidents happen.

The plastic bottle was thrown into a huddle of celebrating Barca players after Lionel Messi's 94th-minute winning penalty secured a 3-2 victory.

Luis Suarez and Neymar both fell to the floor after the bottle landed.

Messi's reaction was particularly animated - he turned to gesticulate and shout towards the area of the crowd that the bottle had come from.

Spain's football federation criticised the Barca players for their "exaggerated reaction" and for celebrating in front of home fans, but added "nothing justified" the reaction of the Valencia supporters.

It also praised Valencia for quickly identifying the fan who threw the bottle.

Former Italy manager Cesare Prandelli has reached a deal with Valencia and signed on until the end of the 2017/18 season.

Cesare Prandelli has reached an agreement with Valencia to become the club’s new manager. While not yet officially announced by the club, Prandelli has signed on until the end of the 2017/18 season, with confirmation expected from the struggling La Liga outfit expected on Thursday.

Two season deal 

Both economic conditions, as well as duration of the contact, were ironed out in a meeting between the Italian and Valencia on Wednesday, just hours after AS revealed that the former Italy, Roma, Fiorentina and Parma manager was being lined up for the position.

Valencia dispensed with the services of Pako Ayestarán last week after four losses from four games condemned the side to the foot of the table.

Voro to take charge of Atleti game 

Caretaker boss and club delegate Voro led Valencia to a first win of the season againstAlavés in his first match in charge and then also oversaw a victory against Leganés.Voro will also be in charge for the weekend’s game against Atletico, with Prandelli set to take over next week.

Prandelli certainly does not lack experience. The 59-year-old began his coaching career at Atalanta in 1993 and went on to coach Roma, Fiorentina, Italy and Parma, among other sides. His last appointment was at Galatasaray in 2014. Prandelli led Italy to the final of Euro 2016, where the Azzurri lost to Spain.

Gary Neville returns to TV punditry role after Valencia stint

Gary Neville will return as a TV pundit this season following an unsuccessful first foray into management.

Sky Sports has announced that Neville will rejoin its coverage of the Premier League, just over a month after he was part of the coaching cull that followed England's failed Euro 2016 campaign.

Neville's first move into club management also ended badly as, in March, he was sacked after just four months in charge of Spanish club Valencia.

He then left his post as England assistant shortly after the shock round-of-16 defeat to Iceland.

"I am delighted to be rejoining Sky Sports and can't wait for the start of the new football season, especially as there will be a variety of new programming on the channel," Neville said in a Sky statement, which also announced that presenter Rachel Riley would join their team.

"It is important for me that my role will be slightly different, and I am looking forward to the challenge of working on some new, creative and exciting projects."

Neville won the prestigious RTS Award for his punditry in 2014 and 2015, but is now set to make a permanent return to the Monday Night Football slot, with Sky saying he would make "guest appearances" alongside former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher.

After Carragher had joked that he was upset at Neville's return, the former United player wrote on Twitter: "Whilst away -- I lost a few games, but you lost half a million viewers and a presenter!!"

Neville had ruled out a return to coaching with Manchester United last month,frozenonlinegames: "That's not going to happen. Before I went to Valencia, I created or owned four or five major projects and good businesses. I need to concentrate on them."

Neville has been working on a multi-million pound development in Manchesteralongside Ryan Giggs.

Valencia sign Portugal winger Nani

Madrid (AFP) – Portuguese international winger Nani has reached an agreement to join La Liga side Valencia from Fenerbahce on a three-year deal, the Spanish club confirmed on Tuesday.

The 29-year old left Manchester United in 2015 for the Turkish outfit following a loan spell at his former club Sporting Lisbon.

During his successful seven years at Old Trafford, Nani won four Premier League titles, the League Cup, the Champions League and the FIFA Club World Cup.

A statement from Valencia read: “Valencia Club de Futbol have reached an agreement with Portuguese international Luis Carlos Almeida – ‘Nani’ – for the player to join the club for the next three seasons.

“He is currently in France with the Portuguese national team, who will play in the Euro 2016 semi-finals against Wales this Wednesday.

“He has represented his country on 101 occasions, scoring 20 goals – two of which have come in the ongoing tournament.

“Nani will be officially presented as a Valencia CF player in the coming days.”

The deal is reported to be in the region of 8.5 million euros ($9.4m).

Phil Neville confirms Valencia exit, eyeing opportunities as a manager

Phil Neville will be leaving his role as part of Valencia coaching staff and is looking to make the transition into management.

Former Manchester United and Everton defender Neville has gained varied experiences across the game since retiring as a player three years ago.

The 39-year-old was part of David Moyes' backroom team at Old Trafford, having working as a coach with England under-21s at the European Championship in Israel, and last summer made the surprising move to Valencia.

Neville experienced a topsy-turvy season in the Primera Division, working under Nuno, interim boss Voro, brother Gary and then Pako Ayestaran, whosigned a two-year contract extension to stay on as head coach on Tuesday.

Neville headed back to Valencia the following day and is now planning for a future away from the club.

"I think obviously with the naming of Pako as the manager, I think I will be leaving the club and looking for other opportunities," he told Press Association Sport.

"There are opportunities out there and that is where we are at. It has been a fantastic year but, you know, in football new managers come in, they want to bring their own staff.

"It's football. Hopefully in the future when I am a manager, I will want to bring my own staff with me.

"That is the case now and it's time for me to leave Valencia and to grab hold of other opportunities that are going to come my way."

Neville "loved every minute" of his time with Los Che but is now looking to step into management, with the completion of his Pro Licence just a few weeks away.

"You've got to do your process, do all your work and learn about how to be a manager," he said.

"I am still learning, I am still young in term of managerial experience, but the last three years I've gathered a lot of information.

"I just feel at the moment maybe my next job I think I'll probably want to go on my own and be my own man, back myself and my own ability."

Neville is open about working anywhere in the world having taken the plunge and moved away from Manchester, but "waiting for the right opportunity" is key after his year in Valencia.

"It has been one of the best experiences -- and not just of my footballing career," he said.

"The lifestyle, we've embraced the culture and I said to the president the other day when I spoke to him about my future, we both agreed that one day I want to go back to Valencia.

"It is a magical, magical city, a fantastic football club and La Liga is the best league in the world to work in.

"I loved every minute of it. To come away from the experience with a language under your belt, with the experience that I've had this year would probably take people five years to experience.

"Three or four different managers, unrest with supporters, situations with players, playing against Barcelona and getting beaten 7-0 -- these are experiences you can't buy.

"You can go on every course in the world that you want, but you can't buy the experience I've had this year.

"In terms of my overall development as a coach, hopefully a manager, and as a person, I cannot think of a negative about the whole situation."

Valencia 0-2 Villarreal

Villarreal sealed their place in next season's Champions League play-off by winning 2-0 at local rivals Valencia thanks to first half goals from Samu Garcia and Adrian Lopez.

Athletic Bilbao's 3-2 win over Celta Vigo earlier on Sunday meant Marcelino's side would seal their return to Europe's elite competition for the first time in five years by beating Valencia, and although the hosts made the stronger start, Garcia put Villarreal on their way to victory in the 14th minute.

Athletic Bilbao edge Valencia thanks to Raul Garcia header

Raul Garcia's first-half header gave Athletic Bilbao a 1-0 win in a near farcical first leg of their all-Spanish Europa League last-16 tie against Valencia.

Torrential rain rendered the pitch at the Estadio de San Mames almost unplayable but the game went ahead and Garcia's fine glancing effort after 20 minutes gave the Basque side the advantage.

It was the least the hosts deserved for coping superbly with a saturated and muddy surface, creating the better chances throughout and ensuring Valencia's Mat Ryan was by far the busier goalkeeper.

The ball frequently held up in water and there may even have been some doubt over whether the game could be completed, but ultimately both sides may have been pleased with the final outcome.

Athletic performed admirably and and created early openings for Aritz Aduriz and Garcia which came to nothing.

Captain Markel Susaeta had the first serious chance when he burst clear of the Valencia defence but Ryan produced a fine save.

The hosts broke through when Benat Etxebarria floated in a fine free-kick and Garcia rose to divert a header over Ryan.

Bilbao could have doubled their lead soon after as Aduriz chested down to create space for himself on the edge of the area but he dragged his shot wide.

Rodrigo had a good chance for Valencia when he raced into the area but the goalkeeper rushed off his line to block.

Bilbao wanted a penalty early in the second half when Garcia went down in a challenge from Javi Fuego but nothing was given.

Aymeric Laporte almost caught Ryan out with an ambitious effort from the halfway line but the Australian goalkeeper managed to get back to palm over for a corner.

By now the pitch was completely waterlogged but Bilbao continued to press with Aduriz planting a firm header straight at Ryan and substitute Sabin Merino shooting narrowly wide. Ryan then pushed away a Etxebarria free-kick.

Aduriz had another chance when sent clean through in stoppage time but blasted well over the bar.