Alex Mumbru emphasized that if Jasiel Rivero's message was intended as criticism towards the team's decision to leave him out of the squad vs. Barcelona, it would be a serious misjudgment.
Valencia Basket suffered a second straight defeat against FC Barcelona on Friday night and finished their appearance in the 2022-23 season. The team was eliminated from the ACB League quarterfinals.
| Player of the Game | |
|
EFF
20
|
| Tomas Satoransky | |
| Points | 14 |
| Accuracy | 5-6 |
| Rebounds | 2 |
| Assists | 7 |
Valencia lost by 23 points (64-87) in Game 2, while Jasiel Rivero, the second most effective team player in the ACB this season, was left out of the squad. This decision was not an isolated incident, as coach Alex Mumbru had also chosen to exclude Rivero in Game 1 against Barca.
After Valencia publicly announced their intention to keep Klemen Prepelic and Rivero out of the do-or-die game, the Cuban center took to Instagram to express his feelings through a story filled with laughing emojis.
Mumbru addressed Rivero's message following their elimination and offered his perspective on the situation.
"He is not a bad or troublesome person, I think he was confused," Mumbru said. "If the message has been for the decision, it is a serious error. We have three extra foreign players, and we have to decide who plays and who doesn't play. It is totally out of place if he was going towards the team, the decision, or the players."
The Spanish specialist then addressed his own coaching future in Valencia.
"The club must think and talk with me and with everyone, although it is not something that has not been done during the year. ... I have a contract, I didn't come here for a year but for a long-term project. However, after such a tough season, it's normal for everyone to think and make their assessments, which are not good," Mumbru said.
Game 2 highlights:
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