Ever Banega Crorepati

Season endings are bittersweet for most people. Bitter – no football for 3 months. Sweet – Transfer gossip and excitement. I HATE SEASON ENDINGS. Bitter – no football for 3 months. Bitterer – Vultures swooping over Valencia’s best players (aka “World’s best players”). 2 seasons back, Los Che were all about an incredibly talented arrowhead of Mata, Silva and Villa driving lightning paced one-touch passing in the final 3rd. Last season, the suddenly creative midfield, an emergent Pablo and a reemergent Joaquin meant this lightning paced one-touch passing backward integrated till the halfline. Valencia minus (Silva+Villa) later, the lightning started and stopped in the midfield. So while the Reals, Barcelonas, Inters, ManC’s and Chelseas chase Mata, Soldado and Pablo; I’m really going to be praying to all my gods, angels and elemental spirits (and a few water nymphs, but that’s for something else..) that one player manages to stay under the radar for the coming 3 vulture months – Ever Banega.

After 4 sad years, it almost seems like the hole that Riquelme left in Europe can be filled. Watching Banega first in Atletico colors (on loan) against Villarreal as he flew around everywhere tackling wildly (and eventually got sent off) I thunk “Damn what a psycho. Someone’s going straight back to the B team!”. But after Valencia finally stopped whipping poor old donkey Baraja and decided to get a shiny new pony, Banega set the midfield on fire running 2km more than the team on average and with surface-passing far superior to even Baraja. Add Xavi’s ability to collect under pressure and turn away from markers, and Iniesta’s smooth gliding dribbling – meant last year we suddenly had a team that I can safely say played better looking football than Barca. Though this Villa/Silva-less season has suffered from reduced prettiness in the final 3rd, Costa and Topal’s arrival have meant a middle 3 that keep possession for extended periods of time and play around each other very intricately.

Which brings me to my crossed fingers. Last summer I was extremely amused that Maradona picked Veron over Banega, but then also selfishly quite pleased that he wouldn’t get to set the WC on fire and put a giant target marker on his chest for swooping vultures. Here’s to hoping scouts are their usual blind stat-chasing selves and don’t start focusing on silky touched hardworking midfielders. While I’m at it, here’s also to hoping we get Forlan, Mexes (who is rumored to...no i cant say it...be going to...its too hard...AC aaaaaargh Milan) and Borja Valero. On the topic of midfielders with extraordinary vision and passing ability – Goodbye Ivan De La Pena who quits football this season.