The Andalusian defender expressed his happiness at joining Villarreal and promised hard work to achieve the club’s goals
Rafa Marín was officially unveiled as a Villarreal CF player on Monday. Accompanied by the club’s CEO, Fernando Roig Negueroles, the defender from Seville thanked the club for placing their trust in him and promised to repay that faith with hard work.
“I’m very happy to be at a great club like Villarreal. I was eager to come here in January, and now I’ve finally arrived. I’m excited to have a good season,” Marín said at the start of his presentation.
The new signing also highlighted his motivation to join the Yellows: “The club has shown a lot of faith in me. I’m delighted to be here. Villarreal had a great season, qualified for the Champions League and keep on growing. I’m looking forward to getting started, doing my bit and helping the team achieve its goals.”
The Spain U21 international arrives on loan after winning the Scudetto with Napoli, although he saw limited playing time: “I always take the positives. It’s true that in terms of minutes, it was a tough year. But I feel stronger than I did two years ago. I’ve improved a lot, especially mentally. And when I did play, I showed that I could have had more minutes.”
Marín also fondly recalled his impressive spell at Deportivo Alavés, where he made a big impact on Spanish football: “Without doubt, it was one of the most important years of my career. It was my first season as a professional. I needed experience and didn’t know how much I’d play. Luckily, I was able to make over 30 appearances. It was a key season in which I learned a lot from my teammates.”
For those who don’t yet know him, Marín described himself as a versatile defender: “I can play as a centre-back on either side. I think I’m an intelligent player who reads the game well. I’d also say I’m aggressive in the air. But in any case, I’d rather the fans see me in action and describe me with kind words.”
Finally, the Spanish defender spoke of his excitement about playing in the UEFA Champions League with Villarreal: “It’s every kid’s dream to take part in this competition. It’s a really exciting challenge. We hope to be competitive in every competition. We want to give our all and see how far we can go.”
