Neville skating on thin ice

Gary Neville could take charge of Valencia for the final time should he fail to deliver a league win at the ninth attempt when his side travel to fellow strugglers Real Betis on Sunday.

Neville’s terrible run of five points from eight La Liga games since taking charge in December was compounded as Valencia suffered their heaviest defeat in 23 years with a 7-0 thrashing at the hands of Barcelona in the Copa del Rey semifinals on Wednesday.

“I need to make sure everything in the players’ minds now shifts to Betis. Be clear, we have to deliver on Sunday,” said Neville.

“I feel most for fans. It’s their club and they suffer very badly. I have to work out how we can get in a positive frame of mind on Sunday,” Neville added.

Neville insisted he wouldn’t quit in the face of persistent questioning in midweek, however the club’s sporting director Jesus Garcia Pitarch refused to give his backing to the former Manchester United captain.

Madrid sports daily AS reported on Thursday that Valencia had already sounded out former coach Rafael Benitez — who won two La Liga titles in three years at the Mestalla between 2001 and 2004 — as Neville’s replacement for next season.