Pellegrino pleased with important win

Valencia coach Mauricio Pellegrino was relieved after watching his side defeat BATE Borisov 4-2 in the Champions League at the Mestalla.

The victory ensured the La Liga side remained top of Group F, although it is still very much a three-horse race with Bayern Munich and the Belarusians.

With Bayern so impressive in a 6-1 win over Lille, the hard-fought victory over BATE represents a valuable three points for Valencia.

“We have taken a very good step,” Pellegrino told reporters after the game,

“We played like a serious team, in a game that was more difficult than people expected it to be.”

A Sofiane Feghouli double, combined with goals from Jonas and Roberto Soldado, ultimately resulted in a win that sees Valencia go three points clear of BATE.

Valencia looked comfortable at 3-0 but conceded two goals before the home crowd helped inspire Pellegrino’s charges to regain the momentum.

“The fans pushed us on a lot, giving us heat and propping us up in the difficult moments,” the 41-year-old said.

“Hopefully we will continue in this direction. The match here against Bayern will be (like) a final.”