Maffeo endured a bitter first outing in Valencia colours, watching from the pitch as a late Pablo GarcĂa goal handed Real Betis a 1-0 win at Mestalla and left a tense atmosphere between the stands, the squad and the boardroom.
Speaking to DAZN afterwards, the right-back argued the scoreline did not reflect what Carlos CorberĂĄn's side had produced and felt Valencia deserved a better outcome.
"Bitter debut. You don't get the feeling they gave us a footballing lesson or anything like that. It's a horrible feeling," Maffeo said, summing up his first impressions after making his Valencia bow.
Maffeo was one of Valencia's most active outlets down the right for much of the game, but he chose to focus on the collective result rather than his own performance.
"I felt good, but this isn't the moment to think about myself. I'd have preferred not to have played and to have taken the three points," he said.
The defender also disagreed with the outcome, insisting Valencia had created enough to avoid defeat and even to win before Betis made their chances count.
"I don't think Betis's win was fair. We have to demand much more of ourselves. We had chances to win or draw when they were ahead. Football is about being clinical in both boxes, and they knew how to take advantage," he explained.
Maffeo's comments came after a match in which Valencia had several dangerous openings and came close to an equaliser in the closing stages, particularly through a clear chance for Umar Sadiq that Ălvaro Valles denied. That lack of precision in front of goal contrasted with Betis's efficiency, as they found the winner through a quick transition finished by substitute Pablo GarcĂa.
Beyond the tactical breakdown, Maffeo addressed the Mestalla crowd directly, acknowledging their frustration after a second consecutive setback in the space of three days while appealing for unity between supporters and squad.
"They cheered us on, they were there for us. They see it differently. That's how it is, here and at every stadium. Let them keep demanding more of us, but we all need to pull together," he said.
The full-back drew on his own experience at Mallorca to warn against a growing distance between the team and its supporters.
"I understand them, but if we open a gap between the fans and the team... that happened to me at Mallorca and it's the worst thing that can happen to us. I haven't been here long, but I'm asking them, please, to be with us. We're going to give everything and get fully behind this. We really need them," he concluded.