Gabriel: Marcelino my motivation

Gabriel Paulista has revealed he joined Valencia due to his admiration for Coach Marcelino Garcia Toral who explained ‘things will change’ at the club.

The 26-year-old joined Los Che in an €11m deal from Arsenal late last month and is confident it will be a successful season at the Mestalla.

“Marcelino called me and told me that things were going to change in Valencia,” Gabriel told El Desmarque.

“He will never do anything to harm his players; he demands a lot and his coaching methods are intense but ultimately it is done to benefit everyone.

“He is the reason I came here, he convinced me as it was a big commitment to return to Spain with my family but in the end we all agreed it was for the best.

“The main difference between Spain and England? In La Liga, teams plays from the back and keep possession.

“Both leagues are very competitive but in England it’s very direct, you’re told to find the forwards quickly and often the middle third of the pitch is bypassed.”

Tags Gabriel Paulista
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