Garay is also leaving Valencia: A goodbye announced at an inappropriate moment

Ezequiel Garay says goodbye to Valencia Football Club today as César Sánchez and Albert Celades did yesterday, he does it through the back door, free at the end of the contract and with a farewell that has been fraught with controversy from that 9/11 in which he openly criticized the property for the dismissal of Marcelino to the long explanatory video in which he reported as the club itself “It started a smear campaign towards him personally and professionally.” All this happening through two renewal attempts, one with Mateu Alemany a little over a year ago and the other that twisted when he injured his ligaments.

Ezequiel Garay has been a stone in Meriton's shoe in recent months, although it was not always the case. Why his arrival in the capital of Turia in that turbulent summer of 2016 was a breath of fresh air. The fans, annoyed by the sale of Alcácer and by signings that never made the cut, saw the market dilute without their team having footballers at the height of the shield. But it was then that the much criticized Mendes made a 'fix' for his friend Peter Lim and on the last day of the market he signed the Argentine defender for 25 million euros, accompanied by Eliaquim Mangala, who at that time was a notable footballer.

From that first season Garay became a fixture in defense and if at any time a part of the fans questioned his figure it was not because of his performance on the pitch, but for his repeated injuries, in fact in four seasons in Valencia he has missed 42 games, more than one league of matches. But with all that said, if Garay has stood out for something, it has been for always being there: with Mangala, with Aderllan, with Abdennour and finally with his friend Gabriel Paulista –Who had repeatedly asked for its renewal on social networks.

And precisely the ups and downs of his renewal were what blew up the relationship between the club and the player. Because after Garay did not finish signing a first good offer that Alemany proposed in August 2019, both parties distanced themselves with the dismissal of Marcelino. Celades, the board and the player himself spoke again from December and when the situation was in full swing, Garay was injured and the club withdrew an offer that he never put on the table again.

So, after four seasons, 114 games, a Copa del Rey, five coaches and several renewal attempts that never came to fruition, Garay says goodbye today to what has been his house. It does injury to the ligaments and without the courtesy of being able to recover at the facilities, at least until LaLiga ends, although it is true that with the relationship of both parties the strange thing would have been that he continued to go to Paterna.

Another hit to the locker room

Garay is a guy loved by the current che squad and his departure not for expected is less painful for a wardrobe that is going through its worst moment. His veteran figure has always been well seen by all the small groups in the locker room che and therefore his non-renewal – and the consequent failure of César and Celades in the attempt – stung so much and generated controversy. It will not be a good day for black and white footballers.

Garay is the clear example of how so many things have gone wrong in the che project despite the fact that they have worked on green: from being a footballer who performs on the field, loved by the dressing room and signed by a friend of the owner, to being, in Garay's words, “discredited” by the entity, Having more than just a riff rap and, above all, putting Peter Lim and his management back in the eye of the hurricane.