Tag Archives: Villarreal

Marcelino García Toral Returning as Manager of LaLiga Side Villarreal

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Marcelino García Toral is returning to Villarreal…

The Spanish team has handed the reins to the 58-year-old Spanish football manager and former player, Villarreal’s former coach, the LaLiga club has announced.

Marcelino García Toral Marcelino replaces José “Pacheta” Rojo Martín, who was fired on Friday after managing only five wins in 12 games in all competitions.

Pacheta had only taken over the role in September after the dismissal of Quique Setién.

Marcelino has signed a contract through June 2026. He first joined Villarreal in 2013, helping win promotion to LaLiga and leading the team to three straight top-six finishes.

They reached the Europa League semifinals in the 2015-16 campaign, losing to Liverpool, and finished fourth in LaLiga.

He parted company with Villarreal days before the start of the 2016-17 campaign.

Marcelino inherits a team that is 14th in LaLiga, with only three wins from 13 matches.

Sunday’s 3-1 loss at Atletico Madrid was Villarreal’s seventh league loss of the campaign.

Villarreal are back in action on November 26 when they host Osasuna.

Pau Torres Leaving Hometown Club Villarreal for Premier League’s Aston Villa

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Pau Torres is ready to Aston-ish…

Aston Villa has signed the 26-year-old Spanish professional soccer player from Villarreal for an undisclosed fee, the Premier League club announced on Wednesday.

Pau TorresTorres had a reported release clause of €70 million ($77.8m) but with the centerback having only a year left on his contract with Villarreal, the English side agreed a fee in the region of €36.7 million ($40.8m).

“The 26-year-old defender, who has been capped on 23 occasions for his country, arrives at Villa for an undisclosed fee,” Villa said in a statement.

“A native of Villarreal, Torres came through the ranks of his hometown club and went on to become a key player for the LaLiga side.”

Torres won the Europa League with Villarreal under current Villa boss Unai Emery when they beat Manchester United in the 2021 final.

Villa have been looking to add experience to their squad ahead of their Europa Conference League campaign and Torres is the club’s second signing of the transfer window, following the arrival of midfielder Youri Tielemans from Leicester City earlier this week.

Ernesto Valverde One Step Closer to Return to Coaching Roster at Athletic Bilbao

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Ernesto Valverde could be making a big return…

The 58-year-old Spanish football manager and former player appears set to return to coaching at Athletic Bilbao after a candidate who pledged to sign him won the election for the presidency of the Spanish club on Friday.

Ernesto Valverde Jon Uriarte won a four-year term after he beat two other candidates with 46% of the 22,000 votes cast by members.

One of Uriarte’s campaign pledges was to bring back Valverde for a third stint as Bilbao’s coach.

Valverde has not spoken publicly on the chance to come back to the club that fields only players from the northern Basque Country region bordering with France and surrounding areas.

Another candidate for Bilbao’s presidency, Inaki Arechabaleta, promised to bring back Argentine Marcelo Bielsa for a second stint as coach.

Valverde has not coached since he was fired from FC Barcelona in January 2020. Barcelona let him go despite having won back-to-back Spanish league titles and the Copa del Rey under Valverde and with his team still leading the league.

Valverde, a former player, coached Bilbao to a club record 306 games in 2003-05 and 2013-17. He has also coached Valencia, Olympiakos, Villarreal and Espanyol.

Bilbao is, along with Real Madrid, Barcelona and Osasuna, the last Spanish clubs owned by club members, not shareholders. The club members elect presidents and board members to run the club. Candidates must have been a club member for at least one year to run.

Alexandre Pato Signs One-Year Contract to Remain at Orlando City

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Alexandre Pato is staying in the Sunshine State…

The 32-year-old Brazilian professional footballer and Orlando City forward has signed a one-year contract for the 2022 season, according to the club.

Alexandre Pato

Financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed by the team for Pato, who joined Orlando last February but injured his right knee in the 2021 season opener against Atlanta United.

Pato was limited to just four appearances last season due to the injury.

“Pato’s ability is proven and we know the untapped potential in what he can bring to our team,” Orlando general manager Luiz Muzzi said in a statement.

“He’s been working hard to return to top form and we’re looking forward to him having an impactful year for the club. We’re excited for him to return and play an important role both on the field and in the locker room this season.”

The striker has scored 160 goals in 398 games during previous spells at AC Milan, Chelsea, Villarreal and Sao Paulo.

Jonathan dos Santos Joins Liga MX Side Club America

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Jonathan dos Santos is headed back to his home country…

The 31-year-old Mexican professional footballer and former LA Galaxy captain has joined Club America, the Liga MX side announced on Thursday.

Jonathan dos Santos

The deal would be for two years, according to ESPN reports, with the Mexico City side announcing on Thursday that the El Tri star had officially joined the team.

The Liga MX Clausura season kicks off on January 7. Las Aguilas finished atop the regular season table of the recently completed Apetura campaign but were ousted in the playoffs, with Atlas winning the title.

Dos Santos was a free agent after the Galaxy stated in late November that it had parted ways with the former designated player.

“I feel I’m in pretty good shape. I am 31 years old. People say that I am coming to retire here; that’s not true. I still have a lot to give in my career and to this club. I am hungry. I want to win titles with América and make the fans happy,” Dos Santos said.

During his time with the Galaxy that started in 2017, Dos Santos made 103 appearances for the club and was selected as an MLS All-Star in the 2018 and 2019 seasons. In his last two years, injuries took a toll on regular appearances.

The move to Liga MX is a first for Dos Santos, who has previously also played in LaLiga for Barcelona and Villarreal. Jonathan’s older brother Giovani, currently a free agent, previously played for Club America before being dropped over the summer.

“Since I was a kid, I dreamed that one day I would play in America. My father played here, Gio too, the Dos Santos’ already made history in this club,” Dos Santos said. “My dad always told us, you have to play for America, you have to fulfill that dream. It’s the best team in Mexico. I left the country 20 years ago, so having the opportunity to return and play for the best team is a big honor for me.”

Dos Santos’ move to Club America comes two days after fellow El Tri teammate Sebastian Cordova left Las Aguilas for Tigres UANL.

Orlando City SC Sign Alexandre Pato on a One-Year Deal

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Alexandre Pato will be kickin’ it up in Central Florida…

The 31-year-old Brazilian professional footballer and former AC Milan forward is set to join Orlando City SC, according to ESPN.

Alexandre Pato

The Lions teased the signing with a pair of Tweets on Friday containing a picture of a duck. (Pato means “duck” in Portuguese.) An announcement could come as soon as this weekend.

Sources say Pato has signed a one-year deal and will not be a Designated Player.

His salary will be brought down with General Allocation Money and includes an option for an additional year. Orlando recently sent striker Daryl Dike on loan to English Championship side Barnsley.

The Mane Land were among the first outlets who reported the Pato deal.

Pato’s lengthy club career includes stints at AC Milan, Chelsea and Villarreal, as well several Brazilian teams and Chinese club Tianjin Tianhai. He was most recently on the books of Sao Paulo, his second stint with the club, and one where he scored nine goals in 35 league and cup appearances. But he has been without a team since he and Sao Paulo reached an agreement in August of 2020 to terminate his contract.

His most successful spell at club level came with AC Milan, where he played from 2007-13. In that time he scored 63 goals in 140 league and cup appearances, and helped the side to a Serie A title in 2010-11 and the Supercoppa Italiana in 2011.

Pato is an ex-Brazil international, scoring 10 goals in 27 appearances, the last of which came in 2013.

Pato is the latest Brazilian star to join Orlando, the club where ex-Milan and Real Madrid midfielder Kaka played from 2014-17. There are currently four other Brazilians currently on the team’s roster in Junior Urso, Ruan, Antonio Carlos and Matteus Aias.

Lionel Messi Notches 200th Barcelona Assist During Team’s 1-0 Win Over Huesca

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Make that 200 assists for Lionel Messi…

Barcelona moved to fifth place in La Liga with a victory at Huesca on Sunday, with the 33-year-old Argentine soccer star earning a special assist.

Lionel Messi

Frenkie de Jong scored in the 27th minute for Ronald Koeman‘s side, who are now unbeaten over their last six matches.

Messi provided the assist on de Jong’s goal, giving him 200 for his Blaugrana career.

It was Messi’s 500th appearance for Barcelona in La Liga when he took to the pitch at El Alcoraz for Sunday’s La Liga clash against Huesca.

The captain was back in the starting XI to lead his team out for their first game of 2021 after sitting out the draw against Eibar last time out.

Messi becomes the first non-Spanish player to reach 500 games in La Liga and is now just five behind Xavi’s record of La Liga appearances for Barca.

The Argentina international is also close to moving past Xavi and becoming Barca’s all-time appearance maker.

Xavi played in a total of 767 games for Barcelona, while Messi is now on 750.

Former goalkeeper Andoni Zubizarreta holds the record for the most La Liga appearances. He managed 622 during a career which saw him play for Athletic, Barcelona and Valencia.

Barca now have 28 points from 16 matches, one behind fourth-placed Villarreal and 10 behind table-toppers Atletico Madrid, who still have a game in hand.

Huesca sit at the bottom of the table with 12 points after 17 matches.

The Catalans next face Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday, while Huesca will host Real Betis on January 11.

Pepe Reina Joins Aston Villa on Short-Term Loan

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Pepe Reina is headed to the United Kingdom…

The 37-year-old Spanish footballer and former Liverpool goalkeeper has joined Aston Villa on a short-term deal from AC Milan.

Pepe Reina

Reina, who has also played for Barcelona, Villarreal, Bayern Munich and Napoliand was part of the Spain squad that won the World Cup in 2010 and the European Championshipin 2008 and 2012, was mainly a back-up to Milan No. 1 Gianluigi Donnarumma during his time at the San Siro.

Reina spent eight years at Liverpool between 2005 and 2013, winning an FA Cup, a Football LeagueCup, a FA Community Shieldand a UEFA Super Cup.

He ended his Liverpool career with a yearlong loan move to Napoli before permanently joining Bayern in 2014. He lasted just one year at the Allianz Arenabefore returning to Napoli for three years.

Reina made his international debut against Uruguayin 2005 but spent much of his career with Spain as the second choice goalkeeper to Iker Casillas.

Villa were keen to sign a goalkeeper after their first choice Tom Heatonsustained a season-ending injury.

Pato Transferring to Spain’s Villarreal Club de Fútbol, S.A.D.

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Alexandre Pato is ready to kick it in Spain…

The 26-year-old Brazilian soccer star will be presented on Monday as the newest member of Spain’s Villarreal Club de Fútbol, S.A.D.

Alexandre Pato

Pato, who previously played for Sport Club Corinthians Paulista, will join Villarreal for the next four seasons.

He’ll be presented on Monday in a ceremony in the Paraje Ermita de la Virgen de Gracia Villarreal.

According to sources at Corinthians, Pato’s transfer will cost the Spanish side to pay Corinthians three million euros, of them 40 percent for the player.

Pato has played for Brazilian side Internacional, AC Milan, Corinthians, Sao Paulo and Chelsea.

At the beginning of 2016, Chelsea acquired the player, who won’t debut with the Blues until April 2. Despite only playing two matches he scored one goal for the London side.

According to the Villarreal official website, Pato has also had a long career with the Brazilian National Team, making his first appearance in 2008 and playing 28 matches, scoring 10 goals.

He has also been a member of the U20 National Team (12 matches, 8 gols) and the Olympic National Team (10 matches, 2 goals).

López Signs Lucrative Deal to Return to Real Madrid…

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Diego López Rodríguez is getting Real again…

The 31-year-old Spanish footballer will be returning as a goalkeeper to Real Madrid, López’s team from 2000-2007, after agreeing to a $4.7 million dollar contract. He’d most recently played 172 games with Villarreal from 2007-2012 and about 8 games with Sevilla in 2012-2013.

Diego López Rodríguez

López’s hiring comes as the team aimed to secure an extra goalkeeper in light of an injury that’ll sideline the team’s netminder and captain Iker Casillas for up to 12 weeks.

News of the deal came as Casillas underwent surgery to repair damage to his left hand suffered when one of his teammates accidentally clipped him during Real Madrid’s Copa del Rey quarterfinal match against Valencia.

The operation went “very well,” surgeon Miguel del Cerro said, while urging that Casillas approach his recovery at a measured pace.

“We will follow the rehabilitation steps set out by Dr. del Cerro,” said Real Madrid’s director of medical services Carlos Diez.

Meanwhile, Lopez is expected to serve as backup to Antonio Adan, who had begun to move into the role of starting goalkeeper before a two-match suspension that opened the door for Casillas to return.

While out of contention for the 2012-2013 La Liga title, Real Madrid has a berth in the Copa del Rey semis and qualified for the knockout stage of the Champions League.