A Rolls Royce defender. Exclusive, elegant and powerful. Pau Torres is everything that is good in a centre-back, and much more than that. Unai Emery, leader of an Aston Villa that will play in the Champions League this seasonknows better than anyone that he has a colossal footballer in his hands. After a first season of adapting to the frenetic football of the Premier League, the former Villarreal defender is making a strong entrance in an August that he has passed with flying colours: Luis de la Fuente has called him up for the matches against Serbia and Switzerland. He missed the European Championship in Germany, but Pau is back. And better than ever.
He is healthy, fine and 100%, and good proof of this has been his three consecutive games completed as a starter at the start of this Premier League (West Ham (2-1), Arsenal (0-2) and Leicester (2-1). In this last match, which ended with a victory against the ‘Foxes’, the Villarreal player once again put in a display of defensive order, security in passing and leadership in the duels. And at 27 years old, Pau Torres is in undeniable physical and footballing prime, facing the most exciting season of his career at the perfect time.
Pau Torres celebrates the victory with Digne and Durán / @LucasDigne
Called up again by Spain for this first international breakjust two weeks away from an exciting debut in the Champions (Young Boys, Bayern, Bologna, Brugge, Juventus, Leipzig, Monaco and Celtic will be his rivals) and established as an undisputed starter in Emery’s project. Life smiles on Pau Torres who completes his second season in the Premier after arriving on loan from Villarreal for 33 million euros in July 2023. And for the moment, Birmingham is doing him a world of good.
Surrounded by stars in a locker room where Spanish is spoken a lot (Emi Martínez, Diego Carlos, Jhon Durán, Emi Buendía or the loaned Álex Moreno), The Villarreal player has had a very easy time adapting to this Aston Villa chameleon and agitator of a Premier League that has welcomed him with open arms to completely break the ‘hegemony’ of the ‘Big Six’ and upset clubs like Tottenham, Chelsea o Manchester Unitedall behind the ‘Villains’ after matchday 38 last season.
DESERVED RETURN WITH THE RED
Given what we’ve seen, the great start to the season of the Aston Villa centre-back has caught the attention of Luis de la Fuente, who left him out of the Euro Cup squad but has decided to bring him back for the matches against Serbia and Switzerland. For lack of one, Spain will have two left-footed defenders with Laporte (who was an undisputed starter in the European Championship) and the recovered Pau Torres. His last time wearing the national team jersey was on November 19, 2023, playing the full ninety minutes in a Euro Cup qualifying match against Cyprus. 294 days laterwill have the opportunity to demonstrate his level again.
If he continues and does not suffer the same physical problems that hampered him last season, a campaign with Good news for Pau Torres in footballing terms, and of course also for Spain, which despite having a dream Euro Cup still needs top-quality centre-backs for the future. If he continues at this level, He could be the natural replacement for Aymeric Laporte as the left-footed defender of reference and for many years. It will certainly not be due to conditions.
