Sacked Valencia coach Pellegrini criticizes decision

 MADRID, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) -- Former Valencia coach Mauricio Pellegrini this Sunday criticized the club's decision to sack him from his post on Saturday after just 14 league matches in charge of the club.

Pellegrini was relieved of his duties on Saturday night by Valencia President, Manuel Llorente shortly after his side crashed to a 5-2 home defeat against Real Sociedad.

The result leaves Valencia, who under Pellegrini's predecessor¹, Unai Emery had finished in third place for the past three years, in 12th position in the BBVA Primera Liga with 18 points following five wins, three draws and six defeats in the domestic competition.

Pellegrini has qualified² Valencia for the last 16 of the Champions League but the hostile reaction of the fans in the Mestalla Stadium after the defeat prompted Llorente to end his brief tenure³ at the club, although Pellegrini believes the President caved in to pressure.

"I consider it to be unfair and I don't agree with it," said the now-former coach in a press conference.

"I think it is the product of a moment of temper and fear of the situation, but that's football and that's what we live with. The team was only four or five points from the objectives we had set in the league, we were going to play to finish first in our group in the Champions League and we are still in the Copa de Rey. That is the present of this team," insisted Pellegrini.

"The last two league defeats (Valencia lost 4-0 in Malaga last weekend) is temporary, but other Valencia coaches, Hector Cuper and Rafael Benitez have seen protests and ended with the fans feeling proud of their team," said the man who also spent several seasons as a player at the club.

Valencia are thought to be negotiating with former Roma coach Luis Enrique and Ernesto Valverde, who left Greek side Olympiakos at the end of last season.

1 predecessor   

n.前辈，前任

参考例句：

• It will share the fate of its predecessor.它将遭受与前者同样的命运。
• The new ambassador is more mature than his predecessor.新大使比他的前任更成熟一些。

2 qualified   

adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的

参考例句：

• He is qualified as a complete man of letters.他有资格当真正的文学家。
• We must note that we still lack qualified specialists.我们必须看到我们还缺乏有资质的专家。

3 tenure   

n.终身职位；任期；(土地)保有权，保有期

参考例句：

• He remained popular throughout his tenure of the office of mayor.他在担任市长的整个任期内都深得民心。
• Land tenure is a leading political issue in many parts of the world.土地的保有权在世界很多地区是主要的政治问题。