Former Spain striker David Villa spokeabout Gonzalo García’s development, the upcoming Madrid derby, and Xabi Alonso’s coaching trajectory in an interview published by Marca on Thursday.
Villa first focused on García’s mentality, stressing how crucial preparedness is for young players coming through academy systems. He emphasized that opportunities at that stage of a career are limited and must be maximized.
“Especially when you’re young, in Gonzalo Garcia’s case, coming up through the youth system,
you have to be aware that opportunities aren’t unlimited and that you have to be ready every time you get one. That’s the good thing about it. One of Gonzalo’s strengths is that he’s prepared, he doesn’t complain, he doesn’t make a fuss, and when they decide to give him a chance, he takes advantage of it. From there, with that attitude and that way of doing things, he’ll get more and more opportunities. That’s football. When you’re young, opportunities are limited; when you’re older, you have many more. And he’s at that stage right now, where he has to take advantage of every opportunity to keep earning more and more. And I think he’s going to do it.”
Villa also assessed García’s qualities on the pitch, pushing back against narrow definitions of what a traditional striker should look like. He described the young forward as a player who blends classic number nine traits with mobility and intelligence.
“I think Gonzalo has proven he’s both a classic 9 and a striker with more mobility. Maybe he doesn’t look like a very tall striker, a pure number 9 like Haaland or Llorente, but he handles himself very well in the box, creates a lot of space, and finishes well. He’s also very mobile. I think he’s a very good striker and that he’s going to do great things for Spanish football.”
The conversation then shifted to the Madrid derby:
“In a derby there are never any favorites and it’s difficult to analyze. Obviously, from my perspective and with all my heart, I want and wish for Atleti to win. And I think with my head I believe it’s possible too. Because it’s true that in the last few derbies Atleti has been very strong and has made things very difficult for Madrid. You only have to look at the last derby, and I hope and wish that Atleti makes it to the final tonight.”
Villa also addressed Xabi Alonso’s emergence as a coach, expressing personal support and confidence in his former teammate’s ability to manage the pressures of the role.
“I wish Xabi the very best of luck. He’s a great friend and a great teammate. I don’t know him as a coach, so obviously I can’t judge him, but he’s a great guy and a great footballer. I think he’s proving himself to be a great coach and that he’s more than capable of handling this footballing pressure because he’s been dealing with it since he was very young.”
