The Ecuadorian tried to make a quick getaway down the tunnel (Picture: Getty)

Antonio Valencia had to be sent back out on to the pitch to applaud Manchester United’s travelling supporters after trying to head straight down the tunnel after losing to Valencia.

The Red Devils spurned the opportunity to top Group H despite Juventus suffering a shock defeat to Young Boys on Wednesday night, succumbing to a 2-1 defeat of their own at the Mestalla.

Carlos Soler put the hosts ahead on the night and they doubled their advantage when Phil Jones put the ball into his own net, though substitute Marcus Rashford grabbed a late consolation.

United failed to capitalise on Juventus’ shock defeat to Young Boys (Picture: Getty)

After the full-time whistle was blown, the Manchester Evening News reports that club captain Valencia made a beeline for the changing rooms.




Incredibly, he had to be told by his teammates to go and applaud the thousands of fans in the away section of the Mestalla that had travelled all the way from Manchester to watch United’s meek defeat.

These fans paid a lot of money to go and watch that shit. The least Antonio Valencia can do it applaud them without having to be told. https://t.co/t2zzXOJUwf — Nicole! 2.0 (@mademetoxic) December 12, 2018

It was the culmination of a rather miserable evening for the Ecuadorian, who has fallen out with manager Jose Mourinho and lost his place in the team.

He was extremely lucky to avoid being shown a red card against Valencia after a horrendous, ankle-high challenge on Toni Lato resulted in the Spaniard requiring several stitches.

La entrada de Valencia no fue roja. Criminal el estado de la pierna de Toni Lato. El arbitraje de la Champions es pésimo. (Vía @grueso_alamo) pic.twitter.com/vn3gC6J6yP — Alex Domínguez ?? (@aleex1919) December 12, 2018

Although he did not single out any players, Mourinho was critical of his side after the game, saying: ‘I expect from my players, especially players week in week out, you ask me why they play, why don’t they start.

‘Was a good match to play, a match without any kind of pressure, a match in a competition that everybody likes to play. And in the end my team improved really when I made the changes that I didn’t want to make. Which is a little bit of frustration. Because I didn’t want to play the three players that I played in the second-half.’