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Villarreal news, Tuesday January 20: Youth team, Marcelino, B loanee, etc.

Mukwelle Akale, hot USA soccer prospect, joins Villarreal officially now he's turned 18; two Chilean players coming as well. Our "U-20 youth team" (mix of Juvenil A, Villarreal B and C players) travels to the UK to face Celtic, and a familiar face arrives from Albacete to help the B team.

By Allen Dodson
Coach of the month--until the award was presented to someone else.
Coach of the month--until the award was presented to someone else.
Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images

Villarreal's youth team travels to England today (I assume from Castellón) to play their second match in the Premier League International Cup.  As before, B team coach Paco López takes the reins.  The team is:

Keepers: Bañuz (Villarreal B) , Quique (Villarreal C).
Defenders: Felipe (Villarreal B), Javi Ramírez (Villarreal B), Israel Puerto (Villarreal B), Maldonado (Villarreal C), Antonio Cristian (Villarreal C),  Miguelón (Juvenil A).
Midfielders: Pepe Palau (Villarreal B), Sergio Marcos (Villarreal B), Javi García (Villarreal C), Aleix (Villarreal C), Joel (Villarreal C), Rodri (Juvenil A), Alfonso (Juvenil A).
Strikers: José Naranjo (Villarreal B), Mario (Villarreal C),  Simón (Juvenil A).

Anyone in the London area who can get down to Dartford FC tomorrow (I believe kickoff is at 7pm, or maybe 8)?

B team loanee: Fran Garcia, who played for Villarreal B in the past before signing a two-year deal with Albacete this summer, is being loaned back to our B team for the remainder of the season.  He is a left back, only has made 6 appearances for the Clockwork Cheese in the Segunda this season.

Coach of the month controversy:  On December 27 Marcelino was announced as the league's choice for "Coach of the Month".  Yet, when the award was presented this week, it was Valencia's Nuno who received it! Marcelino was understandably critical, since neither he nor Villarreal had been advised of the change. "A scam in the making", said our coach, who wondered aloud if the Premier League would ever do such a thing.

(Note: the league has since clarified Marcelino's award was a "web one", chosen by LFP.es, the BBVA chose the other.  Confusion reigns).

Young players for the future: EPM article says we have signed two Chileans whose arrival was rumored earlier: Francisco Lara from Colo-Colo and Martín Arenas from Santiago Wanderers.  Lara will play in the C team, Arenas with the Juvenil A.  Also joining the Juvenil A squad is American Mukwelle Akale, who turned 18 yesterday.

Also noted that there were other clubs--at least another Spanish one and a French one--after Franco Acosta, but we sealed the deal.  Excellent.

Finally, happy birthday to Pablo Iñiguez, on loan to Girona!  Wishing him good health and more playing time in the coming year!

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