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"This is the only player I would pay to watch play." (Diego Maradona)
These words from a football legend probably made an impression even on those who are not fans of this player. Of course, this phrase was said three years ago and until now, Pablito's career reminded of the American hills, but it seems that this tenth number of Argentina is rising to the top of the hills again.
Pablito, "El Payaso" (The Clown), "El Cai", "El Mago" - these are his nicknames. His real name is...
"Pablito returns!". These were the headlines recently flashing in the Spanish press. Long being just a shadow of himself, having healed from injuries, Aimaras shines again in all his glory. Football experts praise the Argentine, and the player cannot escape from journalists' attention, requests for interviews. It is precisely for this reason that Pablo Aimaras held a press conference a few days ago, where he expressed all his joy.
Aimaras has always been sincere both on and off the pitch. The last press conference was no exception. He began by calming his and Valencia fans: "I definitely do not intend to leave the club. The team needs me, I love the city, the club, the team friends. I do not deny that I had mentioned such a possibility in the past, but then it was a different situation."
It is no secret to anyone why Aimaras' mood, performance on the field, and future plans have changed so drastically. The turning point occurred at the end of February, after the UEFA Cup match against Bucharest's "Steaua". Valencia lost the match after a penalty shootout, and it was the last straw for Valencia club's patience in the cup - coach Claudio Ranieri was fired. In that sixteenth-final match in Bucharest, things could have gone differently, but Valencia lacked sharpness in attack. Aimaras provided this sharpness last season along with another Valencia star, the Spaniard Vicente. Last season, Valencia won the Spanish championship and the UEFA Cup. Aimaras appeared in Bucharest only 13 minutes into extra time. Logical connection: Ranieri does not trust Aimaras, does not let him on the field, Valencia does not find its game and loses, Ranieri is fired. However, this is not an article about Ranieri and his mistakes.
Nevertheless, time has shown that Aimaras is still as dangerous as he was last season when he was injury-free. After Ranieri's dismissal, Rafael Benitez's former assistant Antonio Lopez took the helm of Valencia until the end of the season. The temporary Valencia manager immediately began radical changes: Ranieri's Italian favorites (Corradi, Moretti, Di Vaio, and Fiore) lost their positions in the starting lineup, and the team's starting lineup became almost the same as last season, which was very successful. However, most experts agree that Pablo Aimaras became the catalyst for Valencia's renaissance. Aimaras repaid the coach's trust on the field with a great performance: two goals (against Sevilla and Real) and two assists (against Betis and Sevilla). Thanks to Aimaras' impressive comeback, Valencia won 2-1 against Betis, played a draw with Sevilla (2-2) and Real (1-1).
As always, Aimaras remained humble at the press conference, even when evaluating his excellent game: "People exaggerate and embellish a bit. Of course, I play better, but it is much easier to do when you play full games. Now the most important thing is to maintain this level of play and finish in the top quartile. Winning the league is no longer possible, and we are not playing in other tournaments, so we will give all our strength to play in the Champions League next year."
Aimaras did not intend to hide his sympathy and gratitude towards Antonio Lopez: "The coach trusts me, and that makes it much easier for me to play well. I do not blame Ranieri, but complete trust from the coach is very important for every footballer. But there is still room for improvement - this is not the first time that I have played well in several consecutive matches."
"The team composition does not change so often," Aimaras indirectly praised Lopez, "So it is much easier for us to play well. On the field, we know our place, and teammates can pass the ball to you, hoping that you will do something special."
"Under Lopez's leadership, we played three matches and looked like a completely different team. We deserved the points we won and regained confidence in our abilities. Even going to training with a smile on your face is easier, so the results are different," Pablo said.
Being a product of the Buenos Aires "River Plate" football academy, Aimaras, seemingly after a long break, has played 360 minutes in a row once again. The last time was two years ago, and now, having shined in three consecutive matches, Pablito has played 270 minutes. Valencia fans eagerly await Sunday night when their beloved team will play against local "Atletico" in Madrid. Only Pablo Aimaras will prove whether "Pablito returns."
