Since the announcement of Marcelino's departure, no Villarreal footballer had publicly explained how the coach communicated his decision to the locker room or how the group values his second spell. One of the players who has grown the most under the Asturian's command was the first to voice this internal sentiment.
The midfielder did not have an easy start in his first months as a 'groguet'. He arrived in the summer of 2023 along with other free transfers. Although the beginnings were thorny, the team's instability, marked by the departure of a previous coach and the subsequent stint of another, also did not help his adaptation. However, Marcelino's arrival completely changed his scenario.
With the Asturian coach, he found continuity, confidence, and an ideal context to exploit his virtues, becoming an indispensable piece. He is the second footballer of the yellow team with the most minutes in the League, with 3,068, despite occupying a demanding position and competing every week with other players. The footballer has stated that he is at the coach's disposal and will gladly play whatever role he is given in this final stretch.
“"Marce is a professional and has shown it. He knew it for a long time, but he didn't want to tell us anything so it wouldn't influence the team, and it hasn't influenced us. When he told us, the message was to continue as before, preparing for matches as always. He wants to finish third, and so do we. The day of his farewell will be a beautiful occasion for all that has been achieved these seasons."
The footballer also expressed his desire for revenge in the Champions League for the next season. He acknowledged that the previous negative experience was painful and that the team will go into it with lessons learned and a strong desire to show that they can compete much better in this competition. He highlighted that many were new to the competition and realized it was a different level, so they will present a different face and version thanks to the experience gained.
Furthermore, the player will be one of the few in the current squad who knows Marcelino's replacement firsthand, having played with him in another team for three seasons. Regarding the equality of LaLiga and the toughness of this final stretch of the championship, the midfielder reflected that it is normal for all teams to be playing for a lot, and that teams at the bottom of the table push hard in the final minutes. He concluded with the team's ambition to finish third.
