Football returns to Montilivi on Sunday after the stop for the national team matches with the visit from one of the most fit teams at the beginning of this academic year, the Royal Society. The Basque team, which competes in the Europa League, will arrive without some of its stars such as Sadiq, Oyarzabal, Le Normand, nor Zubeldia, all injured. Yes, there will be, on the other hand, another one of Real’s crackerjacks, David Silva. A world champion and two-time European champion with the Spanish national team and Manchester City legend, with whom he won four Premier Leagues, among many other titles. The Canary, 36 years old and more than 800 games as a professional, is set to start on Sunday with the Txuri-Urdin team in what will be his return to the lawn of Montilivi, 18 years after its first and only time. And although he was part of the City squad that came to play a friendly against Girona in the summer of 2017, Silva stayed on the bench for the entire match.
The only time, therefore, that Silva has faced Girona was in May 2004, in Segona B, when he was playing for Valencia B. That day, the Girona side revived their hopes of making the promotion play-off to Segona A thanks to a 3-0 thrashing in front of a Valencian subsidiary that was fighting to avoid relegation to Tercera. Silva, who was then only 17 years old, was holder in Montilivi, but it didn’t shine. In fact, Agustín Abadía’s Girona ended the match with two goals from Javi García and another from De Gomar in the first half in a victory, in front of around 2,500 spectators, in which the now president and analyst, Delfí Geli and Jordi Melero At Valencia B, coached by the ex-Barça player, Robert Fernandezthere was some face known as Raul Albiol (Vila-Royal) or Juanlu Henswho would defend the Girona shirt a few years later (2011-15).
Almost two decades after passing through Montilivi with more pain than glory wearing the shirt of a Mestalla that was agonizing towards Tercera, Girona fans will have the opportunity to see one of the great players of recent times live. Despite the relegation of the subsidiary, Silva’s progression was activated at a meteoric pace. Two transfers, first to Second Division with Eibar (04-05) and then to First Division with Celta (05-06) allowed him to return to Valencia with whom he won a Copa del Rey before making the jump to Manchester City at just 24 years old in 2010. At the Etihad, Silva is considered a demigod and even has one statue at the stadium entrance. Two FA Cups, five League Cups, three Community Shields and four Premier Leagues made him considered by many to be one of the best players in the history of the English league. Míchel, therefore, has the challenge on Sunday of minimizing the always diabolical performances of the Canarian midfielder.
