Parejo, the man of the derby

Dani Parejo continues to live near the skeleton of the future Valencia stadium, the city in which he has resided for a decade. She does the shopping wherever she always goes, walks through the same streets and her children go to the nursery and school they went to. His personal life has only changed because he leaves earlier to go to work. Before I had the 'office' 10 minutes away, today, 62 kilometers away. Surely the one who has noticed the change the most is Diego, his eldest son, who knows 'Amunt Valencia' by heart but who no longer sees him playing in white but in yellow.

Parejo will meet again on Sunday with Valencia, where he played for 9 years; the captain of the Seville Cup and his last '10' (nobody wears that number). His numbers place him among the greatest in che history: 8th player with the most appearances (383) and 25th top scorer (64 goals). Parejo is the man of the derby, and the list of candidates is wide: Yellow are two others who were captains of Valencia (Alcácer and Albiol), there is Coquelin, Emery … Even Gracia has a past in Vila-real. But Parejo is out of the competition.

Valencia wanted to give him the door and Villarreal opened it wide. The club ché, officially, justifies his departure (free) because that way he saves the 14M € that he had remaining from his contract; unofficially, also valid, it is said that Lim had him between eyebrows for positioning himself with Marcelino. His departure and that of Coquelin (the Frenchman for € 8M) was the fuse that ended up lighting the fireworks of social tension in Mestalla in August.

Parejo has been called this week by media from here and there. But both he and Villarreal opted for 'stampa silence'. Parejo now walks without the weight of the che bracelet, without having to be aware of everything that happens around a club like Valencia (which is a lot and daily). In Vila-real he has the confidence of Emery (100% of minutes) and maintains gallons on the grass (both in a double pivot with Coquelin and ahead of Iborra and Trigueros). But outside is one more. A veteran, yes, but also a newcomer. And your mind appreciates it.