The Asturian coach has given eight Cantera Grogueta players their debuts this season
With Daniel Requena’s debut against Sevilla FC on the last matchday, Marcelino García Toral marks the season in which he has given the Submarine’s most youth players their debuts, surpassing the 2014/2015, during his previous period, in which seven players made their debuts with the first team. One of them is still in the current squad as a true legend, Alfonso Pedraza, who was able to make his 200th appearance for the Yellow side in the clash against the Andalusians.
Not since the 2017/18 season have so many players made their debuts. The Asturian has managed to find the key this season to qualify the team for the Champions League, in a season in which the youth team has had some relevance to achieve this goal. The emergence of Pau Cabanes in the elite, the consolidation of Pau Navarro in the Submarine and the providential contribution of Etta Eyong in the final stretch of the championship. The Cameroonian scored a decisive goal against Girona. A brilliant last-gasp header at the climax of the battle for Europe’s top competition.
All youngsters chosen by Marcelino
In his two spells as coach, Marcelino has given the opportunity to dozens of young talents from the prolific Cantera Grogueta. This season, eight have been chosen by the Asturian to wear the Villarreal shirt: Pau Navarro (26/09/2024), Pau Cabanes (30/09/2024), Jean Yves Valou (29/10/2024), Alassane Diatta (04/12/25), Thiago Ojeda (18/12/2024), Arnau Solà (13/04/2025), Etta Eyong (20/04/2025) and Daniel Requena (25/05/2025).
On the other hand, in his previous tenure as Submarine’s manager, the Asturian made debut in the 2013/2014 season Edu Ramos (14-12-2013) and Nahuel Leiva (13-01-2014), in the 2014/2015 season, Adrián Marín (28-08-2014), José Naranjo (04-12-2014), Israel Puerto (04-12-2014), Sergio Marcos (15-02-2015), Alfonso Pedraza (05-04-2015), Fran Sol (25-04-2015), and Aleix García (23-05-2015), and finally in 2015/16, Miguelón Llambrich (03-12-2015) and current golden ball Rodrigo Hernández (17-12-2015).
