Pau Torres cried with excitement when Villarreal eliminated the Arsenal and got into the final of the Europa League. Those tears ran through the hearts of all the inhabitants of Vila-real. Pau, the central formed in the town, had touched the sky. The dream of achieving a title with the team of his life was closer. Pau, with the final tonight, made many people happy, but above all there was another person who cried with emotion like him: his grandfather Manuel.
The first time it appeared Pau for the Sports City did it hand in hand with his grandfather and his brother, who already played in the lower categories of Villarreal and was three years older than Pau. Manuel, proud as few, every day he took his grandchildren to train in the most special place, Villarreal, the team of their life.
Torres' grandfather I had already experienced what it was accompany a relative to the soccer field. Manuel, his son and Pau's uncle, joined the first team in the 1980s, when Villarreal played in the Third Division.
But it was the children of his daughter Luisa who broke down the door, especially Pau. While his brother trained, Pau, just four years old, dressed in the Villarreal kit, caught a home ball and started shooting alone, over and over again. Pau's insistence caught the attention of José Luis Linares, former Villarreal player and youth soccer coordinator. After a while, Linares proposed to Pau's mother that the boy start training with the kids one year older. Pau refused because his illusion was to play with his class friends. The Villarreal defender waited for a course to join the yellow school. At the age of six, he walked through the door to start defending the club of his life.
From that day, When it was 2003, grandfather Manuel was a fixture in every training session and in every match of his grandsons Jordi and Pau, which he also took to the stadium every Sunday. What Manuel never thought is that one of his two grandchildren would lead his soul team to a European final and could enjoy it at 86 years old. Jordi did not arrive, but he is currently linked to Villarreal because he leads a school team.
“Pau was already pointing out ways from a very young age, although as much as to play a final I would not know how to say,” says Manuel, who states that his grandson looked different to other children. “Pau already stood out, he was different, he had that tranquility with the ball that he has now. That made me think he was very special and I thought he could get there,” he says Manuel, the grandfather who saw Pau grow up every day at the Ciudad Deportiva.
Over the years, the Torres' home will experience the final tonight in a very special way. The pandemic and age will prevent Manuel from being in Poland. It will be strange because on the most important day of Pau he will not be able to be by his side or hold his hand as he did so many times when he took him to training. Manuel will settle for watching it on television. “I am no longer here for those trips. I am 86 years old and I will see it on TV with my grandmother, the two of us together at home, and with the illusion of being able to live something great. We hope it will be a historic night “, Manuel sentence.
Past and present
And like any soccer player in the house, Pau Torres from a very young age had in Bruno Soriano one of his references. The already former yellow footballer and Pau shared a dressing room for several seasons and although Bruno could hardly show his quality due to the damn injuries, the young squad could learn from him. But before the final, a final meeting between the two could not be missed.
The praise between the two has not been lacking: “After my first game with Villarreal I said at home that I will remember that day more for having played with Bruno that for having scored a goal “said Pau.” You have known how to grow well, your assignment was very good for you and now you've got everyone in the dressing room and club to respect you, all that in a very short time “ Bruno continued. Pau in addition to having the support of fans displaced to Gdansk Today you will notice the encouragement of your partner, reference and friend Bruno Soriano.