Valencia manager Javier Aguirre criticised Harvey Elliott after the Liverpool loanee was sent off in Saturday's 2-1 defeat by Villarreal, a result that deepened the club's relegation concerns in La Liga.
Valencia took the lead through Pepelu's first-half penalty before Alex Freeman equalised for Villarreal. Pape Gueye's red card appeared to give Valencia a chance to secure only their second league win of the season, but Elliott was dismissed in the 89th minute after receiving two quick yellow cards, leaving the match 10 vs 10.
Elliott's dismissal proves costly
Elliott, who came on as a 69th-minute substitute, was booked for a foul and then shown a second yellow card for dissent. Georges Mikautadze scored the winner in the 96th minute as Villarreal left the Mestalla with all three points.
Elliott joined Valencia on loan in the summer but has yet to record a goal or assist in six appearances this season. His red card left Aguirre frustrated, and he did not hold back in his post-match press conference.
Aguirre's blunt assessment
"It's an absurd, ridiculous sending-off," Aguirre said. "I don't know what he could have said to the referee, he barely speaks Spanish, so getting sent off for something he said just makes me angry."
"It's a ridiculous dismissal, and I told him as much. It's not his fault; the fault is mine, though I'll address it with him privately. Ultimately, the responsibility is mine, because I'm the one who decides who plays and how we play."
He added: "We were in a solid position and it was 11 against 10, but the sending-off disrupted everything. We ended up playing an all-or-nothing, wide-open game."
Difficult season for Elliott
Elliott endured a difficult 2025/26 campaign, having sat on the sidelines after leaving Liverpool for Aston Villa on loan. Villa opted not to play the 23-year-old midfielder to avoid triggering a £35million obligation to buy clause.
He joined Valencia this summer after speaking with Carlos Corberan, but the former West Brom manager has already been sacked following a poor start to the season. Things have not improved under former Mexico boss Aguirre.
Valencia have taken just six points from 10 matches and sit 19th in La Liga. Elliott has played only 152 minutes of football, with the Spanish press suggesting last month that he is overweight.
The midfielder is under contract with Liverpool, where he has 15 goals and 21 assists in 149 games, until June 2028. Saturday's red card is another setback in his faltering career.
