Spotlight on...Villarreal’s B team

Villarreal’s second team numbers have been released. This year the players will have names on their backs, apparently, which will be a great help when watching their matches!

Keepers: Diego Fuoli (1) and Josele Martínez Cárceles (13)

Defenders: Andrei Ratiu (2), Edu Adell (3), José Castaño (4), Carlos Blanco (5), Sofian Chakla (15), Goyo Medina (14) and Migue Leal (22)

Midfielders: Ramón Bueno (6), Iván Martín ‘Pacheco’ (7), Fran Álvarez (8), Akale (10), Carlos Beitia (16), Juan Agüero (17), Ramiro Guerra (18) and Sergio Lozano (21)

Strikers: Edu Espiau (9), Villa (11) y Álex Millán (19).

Here is a quick recap of comings and goings from the B team this summer:

Soufiane Chakla arrived from Melilla; Edu Espiau from Las Palmas B; Ramiro Guerra returns from Nastic, where he was on loan. Goyo Medina, Carlos Beitia, Juan Agüero and Alex Millán have all moved up from Villarreal C.

A couple of players are out on loan: Enric Franquesa to CD Mirandés; Franco Acosta is playing in Uruguay for Plaza Colonia until New Year’s. Simón Moreno (remember his brother Joselu?) is at Almeria. And Nigerian midfielder Jack Ipalibo, who played for Villarreal C last season but would have been expected to move up, is playing on loan to A team in Norway—Strømsgodset IF.

Departures: Ander Cantero (Lugo), Joan Feminías (Fuenlabrada), Roger Riera (NAC Breda), Rubén Mesa (Majadahonda), Nikola Vujnovic (FK Podgorica), Chuca (Wisla Krakow), Adrian Riera (Asteras Tripoli), and Mario Gonzalez (Clermont Foot). Pretty sure all of these were free transfers except maybe Riera—not sure about him.

The mini-submarine opens its season this Saturday, hosting Levante’s B team in a match at the Mini Estadi.

We are also playing in the Premier League International Cup again (we play Dinamo Zagreb, Arsenal and Leicester) with matches in England on September 25., November 27 and December 18.