Elche midfielder, GonzaloVillar, spoke at a press conference about the recent signing of his former teammate EderSarabia for Espanyol. In his speech, Villar defended the Basque coach's decision to look for a new project after unilaterally ending his contract with the Elche club in June, arguing that the coach had already reached the "points record" in the Primera and had achieved promotion for the team, so it was not necessary to look for another option.
The news of Sarabia's hiring generated surprise and some disappointment among some of the Elche fans, who considered that the player had decided to retire from football to rest and spend time with his family. Villar explained that, as players, we do not have access to the clubs' internal information and we do not know what motivates Sarabia or Christian Bragarnik, the club's largest shareholder, in their decisions. “In the end, we players don't have much information about the clubs' decisions,” commented the Murcian.
In his speech, Villar showed gratitude to both Sarabia and Bragarnik. He acknowledged that the former mediator had “turned the club around” and that he also wanted to work with him. “I wanted to work with him and you know the opinion I have,” he added. Likewise, he thanked Bragarnik for bringing him back to Elche and Sarabia for the trust he gave him, which allowed him to enjoy football again. “I am a person grateful to Christian, for bringing me back, and to Eder, who gave me confidence and made me enjoy football again,” he stated.
Villar concluded by wishing Sarabia good luck in his new project with Espanyol, with the condition that, in the event that Elche and the Catalan face each other, "it goes well for him." The midfielder made it clear that his position is not intended to generate controversy, but rather to highlight the success achieved under Sarabia's direction and the importance of valuing achievements before looking for new alternatives. With the season underway, Elche and Espanyol are preparing for their next matches, while fans continue to observe how the relationship between both clubs and their former players evolves.