Alavés is taking this waiting time with relative calm until the season starts. He has a large part of the advanced duties, with more than 30 footballers with a current contract for the next course. For this reason, the core of the first squad last year will be the base on which to build the new team. A total of 18 footballers from this block, apart from those on loan who will return, are already signed. Among them, some are called to step forward to gain prominence.
In this last group it stands out Pere Pons. The one from San Martí Vell, 27 years old in February, is called to be an important element in the machine room of the squad that, except for surprise, will train Pablo Machín. After overcoming his first year of adaptation at Mendizorrotza and with the Soria coach on the bench, he has everything in his favor to confirm that he can be a leading man on this team.
Maximum confidence
The young midfielder had already earned a place in Girona when Machin arrived at the Montilivi bench. In March 2014, the Soriano took the reins of a team condemned to suffer in the lower area of the table. In a good league final sprint, it saved him from relegation.
From the following campaign, the Catalan squad began taking off. After two unsuccessful attempts at promoting promotion in seasons 14-15 and 15-16, in June 2017 he managed to rise to the First Division for the first time in his history as runner-up in Second A at 16-17.
All this occurred with Pere Pons as a reference in the center of the field. In the 14-15 it disputed 40 of the 42 encounter of league and two in the qualifying rounds. In total, he accumulated 3,707 minutes in the tournament of the regularity of that course. In 15-16, he missed five league games with a concussion. Despite this, he played 35 in the league and four in the promotion promotion. With a total of 3,457 minutes, the young midfielder stayed for the second time at the gates of the First Division.
Machin and Pere Pons Thus they entered into a perfect symbiosis to succeed. The coach gave him his full confidence and found in him the footballer who energized his team's machine room. In 16-17, that of promotion, the understanding between the two continued and Pere Pons continued to be a benchmark in Girona. He participated in 39 of the 42 league duels and, with 3,417 minutes, scored two goals.
Already in First, the midfielder continued with full stripes, playing in his premiere in the elite 31 of the 38 league games – he lost three due to injury – and, with 2,563 minutes, it was one of the revelations of that campaign.
After achieving permanence with his team, Machin He left Catalonia to start his failed adventure in Seville. While, Pere Pons he remained a leader in Montilivi. Despite the decline of Girona, he returned to make a remarkable season 18-19, with 34 of the 38 league duels played -one missed due to injury- and played 2,796 minutes, scoring a goal.
Jump to Alavés
In the summer of 2019, already with Girona again in Second A, the albiazul club bet heavily on him. The Catalan squad received the nearly two million euros from the termination clause that allowed the player to change their air.
In Alavés he has had a difficult season. With a game system not very suitable to its characteristics, it has squandered discipline and work to become the first relay from the bench used by Asier Garitano. In his first year as an albiazul he has played in 30 of the 38 league duels – only in seven as a starter – and has seen his ration of minutes reduced to less than half, with 1,083 played in LaLiga.
He has varied his characteristics and has shown himself as a midfielder with arrival from the second line. He scored his only goal at the Camp Nou, an unmatched stage for any Catalan.
Now, in the new course, everything indicates that you will enjoy a more favorable environment to succeed. The system Pablo Machín It is suitable for his qualities and, if the Soriano maintains the confidence he had in him in Girona, he will be one of the benchmarks. Quality has to achieve it.