Cristiano Piccini was delighted to prove Valencia's matchwinner in victory over Elche.

Los Che won 2-1, with Piccini grabbing the second goal.

He later declared: "It was crazy. It was very emotional for me, because I've had an injury and gone through some tough times. I'd even considered retiring because I was struggling so much to get fit again. Last Saturday I started a game again, and today I didn't.

"Unfortunately, I had to come off the bench because a teammate suffered an injury. I scored a goal that gave the win to my team, after all that I've been through. It's incredible. It's been a difficult few years, but all of the hard work has been worth it. This is priceless.

"I ran off to celebrate with my teammates and to dedicate the goal to my wife and daughter, who were in the stands. They, along with my parents, are the ones who have lived through all of this with me. I owe them all a lot. I hadn't expected to score today."

Piccini added: "I think everything happens for a reason. I am very proud of myself, of what I have worked for and the fact that I never lost heart. That is priceless. All the work has paid off. I owe everything to football and I wanted to come back to this. When everything goes well, we forget how lucky we are to be a footballer. I keep it in mind."