Former Al-Ahly and current Valencia player, Aly Dieng, faced fierce criticism following Sunday's defeat against Barcelona in the Spanish La Liga competition.
The "Mestalla" stadium hosted the match between Barcelona and Valencia in the fourth round of the 2026/27 La Liga season.
Barcelona secured a dominant 5-0 victory over Valencia, with Aly Dieng featuring in the starting lineup for the home team.
The Valencia-focused newspaper "Super Deporte" launched a scathing attack on the team's players following their crushing defeat to Barcelona, singling out Aly Dieng.
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Dieng received a rating of 2/10 from the aforementioned newspaper, which stated: "Dieng is neither a defensive midfielder, a playmaker, nor a box-to-box midfielder. He may possess some skills, but they do not align with Valencia's current playing style, and he is certainly not suited to face the current Barcelona squad."
It added: "Including Dieng was a gamble by the coach that failed against Barcelona, just as it did in the matches against Celta Vigo and Deportivo La Coruña."
It continued: "Nevertheless, Dieng produced a standout moment in the 65th minute when he skillfully escaped pressure from Raphinha, Pedri, and Fermín López, marking the best piece of artistry by any Valencia player throughout the match."
It further noted: "On the other hand, Dieng confirmed he is not a defensive player when he allowed Pedri to bypass him effortlessly during the fourth goal, as if it were merely an ordinary training session."
