La Liga: Valencia suffer fourth defeat in five games as Sevilla pile on misery

It was a fourth defeat in five games for Valencia this season, who also suffered the humiliation of Barcelona midfielder Rodri being caught on camera calling them ‘very weak’ during last weekend’s 5-0 drubbing against the Spanish champions. — Picture from X/Juan Carlos Cáceres

First Published: Saturday, 12 Sep 2026 9:36 AM MYT

MADRID, Sept 12 — Sevilla piled more misery on rock-bottom Valencia as midfielder Juan Iglesias’s 81st minute strike gave them a 1-0 La Liga victory on Friday.

It was a fourth defeat in five games for Valencia this season, who also suffered the humiliation of Barcelona midfielder Rodri being caught on camera calling them “very weak” during last weekend’s 5-0 drubbing against the Spanish champions.

Rodri came under fire in the Spanish press, which accused him of being disrespectful, but broadcaster Movistar had used a lip-reader to decipher Rodri’s comments to team-mates Pau Cubarsi and Raphinha.

It is more than 20 years since Valencia won the last of their six La Liga titles and reached back-to-back Champions League finals.

Their lustre has dimmed since then and they have not even qualified for Europe in seven years. — AFP