Spanish legendary striker Villa had a brilliant career. When he was a guest on Mario Suarez's podcast, he reviewed many periods of his career.
About joining Valencia, which was in internal disputes
In the beginning, I didn’t get a chance to play under Quique Flores. He always said I had to fight for my place and then he couldn't leave me on the bench anymore. It was a difficult but beautiful journey. However, when Koeman arrived, the situation became so complicated that it could fill a book. We were third or fourth in La Liga when Flores was sacked and things started to plummet after that. We have four captains, Canizares, Albelda, Baraja and Angulo, three of whom have been left out for unknown reasons. It was a very difficult season but we won the Copa del Rey, although a week later we suffered a 5-1 defeat at San Mames and fell into the relegation zone. That was the only title I won in Valencia.
Interesting facts about joining Barcelona
I remember that I was at home when Guardiola called me. After I answered the phone, I said: 'I am very busy now, I will call you back later. ’ I thought it was a prank. So I called Xavi and asked him if it was really Guardiola's number. After getting confirmation from Harvey, I called him back.
The phone communication with Guardiola was somewhat special. He talked about tactics, why he wanted me, where I would play and why he thought I fit his requirements. He also introduced the situation in Barcelona. I didn't expect to hear such a tactical discussion before I became a Barcelona player. If I was still a little hesitant about joining Barcelona before, that phone call completely convinced me. I told my agent to only consider Barcelona.
In addition to being a great coach and an extremely smart person, Guardiola's secret is that he is always ahead of the curve and can foresee things that others have not yet noticed. In this sport, when you can see what's coming, you're more than halfway there.
About the then Real Madrid coach Mourinho saying that Barcelona spent a lot of money to introduce a striker who could not score goals
I like this kind of stimulation, because it makes me work harder, although I did not expect to score two goals and beat Real Madrid 5-0. That was my most unforgettable game. I contributed an assist and two goals and we ended up beating our biggest rival 5-0 and there’s no better feeling than that.
About the top 5 Barcelona players in my mind
First is Messi, then Iniesta and Xavi. Ronaldinho not only had an impact on Barcelona, but he changed the entire league after coming to La Liga because of his huge influence on football. Enrique is my idol and role model. Even though we are different types of players, I really appreciate that attitude of fighting for every possession. I always said I liked him because I wanted to be like him.
Mini-game recommendations:Bonanza Shooter: Bubble Blast