Valencia’s appeal against their controversial UEFA Youth League defeat to Chelsea has been rejected by European football’s governing body.

The Spanish club complained to UEFA after Alberto Gil’s spot-kick in the penalty shoot-out was wrongly disallowed during the last-16 match at Chelsea’s Cobham training ground last month.

Videos showed the ball crossing the line before striking a stanchion and bouncing clear, but both the referee and the official on the goal-line ruled it had hit the post.

Chelsea ended up winning the shoot-out 5-3 and Gary Neville, coach of Valencia’s senior team, later called the officiating “scandalous”.

Valencia appealed to UEFA but their complaints had been rebuffed.

A Valencia statement said: “Valencia regrets the decision taken by UEFA. We want to en-courage young players to continue to be motivated and continue believing in fair play.”