Valencia need special performance to qualify, says Gary Neville

Gary Neville insists Valencia need a special performance to qualify for the Europa League quarter-finals following their 1-0 defeat at Athletic Bilbao in the first leg.

Valencia will have to overcome a one-goal deficit in next week's second leg at the Mestalla after Raul Garcia's 20th-minute header steered Athletic to victory on Thursday night.

But Neville was not too disheartened by the result, claiming his side still have an excellent opportunity of reaching the last eight in front of their own fans.

"You can never be happy when you lose but next week, we will go to the Mestalla with a fantastic chance," Neville said.

"We have to make it a special night. We need a special performance."

Torrential rain on an already saturated and muddy ground made the pitch almost unplayable for the last-16 first-leg clash but Neville praised both sides for the way they performed.

"I think both teams played with fantastic spirit in difficult conditions," Neville said.

"They were probably the worst conditions I have seen a game of football played in. Well done to both sets of players for playing in that game.

"It was very difficult for our forwards to get into the game but we kept fighting."

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