Villa is ours !

David Villa has signed with FC BARCELONA

Villa: “I will give everything to the club”

David Puig

David Villa could not hide his excitement as he was presented as a new player of FC Barcelona on Friday morning and revealed his desire to follow in the footsteps of his heroes Quini and Luis Enrique.

After admitting he was slightly nervous, Villa said that he was proud of joining the reigning champions of the Spanish league as he met the press in Camp Nou for the first time since penning a four-year deal. "It is an honour and I am proud of this very important move," he said. "I have to thank so many people for this transfer to Barça. My family, Barça, Valencia and everyone that made it become a reality. I am very proud and will give everything to this club."

Barça effort

"Barça showed clearly that they wanted to sign me," Villa continued. "I could say about the million little things that they have done to bring me here and that helped me in my decision to move."

Easy integration

Familiarity with so many of the Barça stars through his time with the Spanish national team was also a big factor in helping Villa decide. "That was one of the key reasons," he commented. "I know a lot of the players personally. There will be no problems fitting in. They have already helped me a lot even before I signed and became a Barça player."

Villa then praised Barça and their star names, in particular Messi. "I am conscious that I am joining the best team in the world and that they have won everything," he continued. "I want to help them become a little better. Messi is the best player I have ever seen and I will be proud to share a dressing room with him and to wear the same shirt."

Winning trophies

"No promises of how many goals he would score next season were forthcoming. "I am here to score goals that will help the club to win things and to contribute what I can to the team," Villa explained. "I have not won many trophies in my career, two Copa del Reys and one Super Cup, although I cannot complain and am proud of those. But I come here with a desire to win even moer and, if possible, the Champions League."

Quini and Luis Enrique

Following in the footsteps of his heroes Villa will become the eleventh Asturian to play for Barça. Names such as Quini, Abelardo and Luis Enrique are well known and he wants to add his to the list. "Everyone knows my idols were Quini and Luis Enrique," he added. "Both had great success with Barça and I want to follow them. I want to be remembered like them when I finish my time here."

President pleased

Barça president Joan Laporta thanked everyone that made the signing of Villa possible as he addressed the media in the Sala Paris above the club shop. "I want to thank Txiki Begiristain and Raül Senllehi for their work and for Valencia for the way that the talks were conducted and to Villa's father who worked tirelessly to help us sign his son."

Perfect player

Begiristain stated that he felt that Villa had the right profile for Barça. "He is the perfect player to play up front for Barça," he explained. "His movement across the front line, as well his ability to play down the left and in the centre stand out. He is a player that will give us so many options going forward. With Villa we have an impressive front line."

Villa should feel at home

Edgar Fornós

David Villa will be coming to team where he already knows a large number of his future team mates, either from international duty or from different publicity spots, something that’s bound to help him settle into the club quickly.

Villa will be travelling to South Africa this summer with Puyol, Xavi, Iniesta, Sergio and Víctor Valdes, who he also knows from Spanish Under-21 duty. He was at Zaragoza with Milito and has taken part in a number of publicity acts with Messi, who is sponsored by the same sports outfitting company.

Future teammates’ support

In his press conference on Friday, Villa expressed his satisfaction with the support he’d received from his future teammates ahead of his signing: “I’m lucky to know a number of players here and I am good friends with some of them. I’ve felt very good about the support I’ve got from them, even before I signed and I’m very grateful to them for that”.

European Champions

One of Villa’s most memorable, moments as a player was alongside Carles Puyol, Xavi Hernández and Andrés Iniesta when Spain won the European Championships in Austria and Switzerland in 2008. Villa was the tournament’s leading scorer with 4 goals.

Whilst at Zaragoza, Villa and Milito won the 2003/04 Spanish Cup under ex-Barca man Victor Muñoz, beating Real Madrid at the Olympic Stadium in Montjuic. The two played one more season together until Villa moved to Valencia.

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