Valencia defender Pablo Maffeo apologises after controversial interview following Real Madrid loss

Valencia defender Pablo Maffeo has apologised following his controversial half-time interview during his side’s 3-0 defeat to Real Madrid , explaining that he never intended to disrespect the journalist Sergio Quirante.  The 29-year-old Valencia star addressed the incident through an Instagram statement, revealing that he had initially refused to speak to the broadcaster because he was frustrated with the situation and did not feel in the right state of mind to answer questions. Notably, the incident attracted considerable attention after Maffeo openly criticised the interview format while Valencia were trailing 0-2 at Mestalla.  Maffeo explains why he refused the half-time interview Maffeo’s frustration was evident from the beginning of his conversation.  Rather than answering the question about Valencia’s first-half performance, the defender questioned why he was expected to speak to the media while the match was still in progress. “I really don’t feel like doing this interview; this interview here is rubbish – it’s completely irrelevant; we’re in the middle of a match,” the player had said. His frustration was also directed towards the refereeing, particularly the foul awarded against him following his challenge on Kylian Mbappe in the build-up to Real Madrid’s opening goal.  Maffeo had received a yellow card for the incident and believed the decision had unfairly affected his team. Maffeo issues apology In his Instagram statement, Maffeo explained that he had communicated his reluctance to participate before eventually agreeing to the interview after being told it was compulsory. He apologised “if anyone took my reaction personally” and admitted that he was “very worked up” by the circumstances surrounding the match.  According to the defender, he had been told that the interview was “compulsory” , despite making it clear that he did not want to speak at that moment. Pablo Maffeo issues an apology. (Source: Instagram) Maffeo also stressed that his frustration was not directed at Quirante. “I have the utmost respect for all professionals who do their job, and he is in no way to blame for what happened,” he wrote. Maffeo personally apologises to the journalist The Valencia defender also revealed that he approached Quirante after the final whistle to explain his reaction and make clear that it was not personal.  Broadcast cameras captured their conversation from a distance, while the journalist subsequently confirmed the apology during the broadcast. Concluding his statement, Maffeo said his intention was “to clarify how things happened” and emphasised that “there was never any intention to disrespect anyone.”