The story behind Pepelu's goal celebration  

When Pepelu scored in Valencia CF's game against Real Betis, the midfielder celebrated in a curious way, making a telephone gesture to the pitchside cameras. The celebration had an explanation and a special story behind it.

Carlos, a young Valencia CF fan with cerebral palsy, had met his hero at the Ciudad Deportiva a few weeks before the fixture, and Pepelu had promised to dedicate his next goal to his big supporter.

“Carlos wanted to meet me and he was at the reception at the Ciudad Deportiva. I was lucky enough to spend quite a bit of time with him talking, him telling me stories, and in the end the idea arose for me to dedicate a goal to him. We came up with the idea of the telephone, something special between him and me,” explained Pepelu.

The pair met again this week, with Carlos thanking Pepelu for the gesture.

“I knew that the goal was for me. When the penalty was given, I said 'Let's go, Pepelu is going to take it.' Although three games had passed since we made the promise and I thought 'he has to be focused and maybe he will remember, maybe not,' he did," recalled Carlos.