Jaume Costa interview: Is he coming back to Villarreal?

Yesterday, around 14:15 local time, Jaume Costa was interviewed by Ràdio Vila-Real about his future, why he left or about the persistent rumor of Dani Parejo being a target for Villarreal. The take you get from hearing him talk is a hard-working player, humble, that loves the team as he feels indebted to them.

As he has confirmed in the interview, he has to report back this coming August 10 for the PCR test and, with a negative result there, he will be able to train during the preseason with Villarreal. His head is in convincing Emery that he deserves a spot on the roster. He doesn’t want to think of the future, as Marcelino taught him about the here and now mentality, and that’s where his head is, the here (Villarreal) and now (preseason).

He doesn’t see competition for the spot, as he feels the main rival is himself, to reach a higher level, and he sees people as Quintillà, or Gayà in Valencia, as human beings above footballers.

Last season he was not looking forward to playing for Valencia as his head was in Villarreal, as he feels they are the team of his life, and has always been thinking of being a Villarreal lifer until retirement if possible. As he recalls in the interview, some people didn’t like him and he felt that if he continued with Villarreal, he wouldn’t get any opportunity to play. Not being on the team for the friendly against La Nucia was an eye-opener for him. Marcelino talked with him, and he saw the opportunity to play for Valencia as a good one, as he wouldn’t need to move his family around, which is something he values a lot, and it’s a team he knows as coming through its cantera and being a local of the city. After this loan, he wants to show he can be a player for Villarreal, through work. He knows Emery as he was in Valencia when he was in the system, having his European debut against Club Brugge in Europa League with Emery as the manager. He feels that Emery can make Villarreal a winning team.

He admits he would have loved to live firsthand the departures of Santi and Bruno, as he had met them both, getting along well with Bruno, and he has respect for them, and watching from the distance their departures feels it’s not the same as being there and wish them good luck instead of some messages through the phone. He has been in regular contact with people of Villarreal, sharing thoughts, giving some encouragement... While a season has a lot of moments, after the quarantine you can see Villarreal was in a pretty good form and the end result is there, with the return to Europe.

The interviewer decides to return to the point of him coming through Valencia cantera. While he doesn’t negate he was raised in Valencia, he considers Villarreal where he was formed and matured as a footballer, and for that, he will be forever grateful. His motto has always been work and fight, as nobody has given anything to him, all the opportunities he’s had, he had needed to procure them. He says that in his opinion, that mentality is what has made him able to last so long in Villarreal, a club that he has had the most fun playing with.

Of course, asking about Parejo and the rumor was a given. He says that he’s with him this holidays, and talks how a great person and player he is. Parejo is like him, a footballer that lives a lot the club, in this case Parejo would be Valencia, and every news item that appears make him suffer. He wishes that both Parejo and Coquelin arrive to Villarreal as they would add a lot to the club. He also reflects that transfer market is a period where fans can get their dreams as a new signing renews the dreams of achieving a high goal, but in the end you have to match to match, and with work, you end there. He hopes that this season can be Villarreal season, not only for him, but for all the people that since day 1 have been here working to put Villarreal where they are at.

When asked about long-term goals, as short-term is playing for Villarreal, he answers that ha would love to renew his contract (one year left) and continue defending the yellow shirt. He only thinks of the here and now, and wants to convince everyone that he belongs here, and if he achieves it, he will spend the whole season working as hard as he can for the club, both inside and outside the field.

He finishes the interview saying to the fanbase that he’s nobody to say anything to anyone, as he’s only a football player, that does his work, fights, the most honest way possible. He feels it’s a pity to have to start without fans in the field due to circumstances as they can give the players that edge to overcome obstacles through their support in the stands, but it is what it is. Very grateful for the fanbase they have, as he recalls the match they traveled to Barcelona when playing in Segunda, how many fans made the distance to see them play against a B team. That’s something he has never seen and something he holds dearly.