Gonzalo villar (23 years old) was the great sensation of the brilliant premiere of Spain in the U21 Euro Cup (0-3 to Slovenia last Wednesday): he led the team in midfield, scored a goal and was chosen MVP. The Murcian is one of the many examples that exist in recent years of the flight of Spanish talent abroad. Canterano of Valencia, shone in Elche and aroused the interest of the Rome, what did you pay 5 million euros for him in January 2020. “At first, Roma wanted to sign me and leave me on loan at Elche, but then Fonseca called me, told me that he had been watching many of my games and wanted me to I got up immediately. I always dreamed of being able to play for a great European team and seeing the insistence with which Roma called me, I knew it was the right place “, Villar tells AS, who was yesterday with the footballer at the La Rojita concentration hotel in Maribor (Slovenia).
Gonzalo's case is not something isolated in recent years, where it is common for the greats of Europe to 'fish' in teams from our country. “For him Spanish player go out it stopped being a taboo For many years and abroad, the footballer here is highly valued. Roma bet on me. Could another Spanish team have done it? Well it is possible, but that does not depend on me, “says Villar. It is an opinion shared by many, because even five footballers this U21 play at Foreign despite his short experience. Given the lack of opportunities for young Spaniards in the LaLiga majors, they pack their bags for other championships.
Gonzalo Villar poses for AS in Slovenia with the shirt he will wear against Italy this Saturday.
Sergio Santos
In Rome has found his place: 36 games this year, almost always in a more backward position than in Spain, where De la Fuente uses him as box to box in the middle. There he shares a dressing room with four more Spanish footballers: Borja Mayoral, Pau López, Carles Pérez and Pedro.
Villar is also special off the field. Despite the good contract he signed with Roma, he never turned his back on his academic training. Is studying Business Administration at UCAM in Murcia, via on-line.Those concerns for the business world enlivened his confinement, since he took the opportunity to advance in many subjects to which he sometimes cannot dedicate the time he would like to because of the tight football calendar. Also has other sports passions: is a lover of NBA and whenever schedules allow, he sees his favorite player, Stephen Curry.
Mayoral: “They owe us that victory …”
Gonzalo Villar Y Borja Mayoral have become in a few months together in Rome in close friends. The one from Parla arrived at the Italian team from Real Madrid last summer and found in the former Elche his best support. Now, during the Eurocup, they exchange messages on a daily basis because Villar defends the title that Mayoral conquered two years ago. “It gives me cane with the party against Italy (morning, 9:00 p.m.), It reminds me of what happened to them in 2019, “says Gonzalo.
And is that La Rojita has a memory very bitter of its premiere in the Euro 2019: they fell 3-1 to an Italian team that played excessively tough play. “I have told Gonza who owe us that victory, we want revenge “, account to AS Mayoral. The Madrid youth squad also praises his teammate, with whom he connects perfectly on and off the field: “I was surprised by their level since the first day. He deserves all the good that is happening to him in this European Championship because Spain must know that they have a player there in Rome who in a few years will be safe in the Absolute. ” An objective that Villar has in mind: “It is the dream of all of us who are here, the objective is to take the leap.”