Vids

Gary Neville’s sub Denis Cheryshev gets standing ovation from Camp Nou crowd

4 Feb, 2016

Gary Neville achieved something truly remarkable last night inside the Camp Nou. An achievement that few coaches, if any, have ever managed. No, I’m not talking about the 7-0 Copa del Rey horror show – plenty of coaches have been humiliated inside Barcelona’s grand stadium – instead I am referring to the feat of having opposition fans cheer a substitute you are bringing on. A standing ovation no less.

Neville managed to ‘achieve’ this when he brought on Denis Cheryshev. The reason some Barcelona fans stood and gave a rousing reception to Cheryshev’s introduction, besides being 3-0 goals to the good at the time, was because this was the same player that was involved in Real Madrid being booted out of the Copa del Rey back in the previous round against Cadiz. In a cock-up that seems unimaginable from a professional football club, Real Madrid had played Cheryshev during a time when he was ineligible due to him still serving a one game ban from a previous loan spell with Villarreal.

Now on loan with Valencia, the Russian provided Neville with his biggest cheer of the night. A moment the Valencia boss might want to savour, as he’s unlikely to hear a warm reception until he gets back into his still warm seat at Sky.

Watch the ironic cheers from the Camp Nou below.