David Villa adds tiki taka flair to a-league

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Just like Dwight Yorke and Alessandro Del Piero before him, David Villa was a global star who made an immediate impression in front of the fans in Sydney. He was on the field for just 15 minutes before showing his class with a stunning goal from outside the box in his A-League debut.

The difference is that Yorke and Del Piero were marquee players for Sydney FC. Villa was playing for the away team, Melbourne City, and his equaliser off the bench in the 1-1 draw on opening weekend drew a more subdued reaction from the 25,525 fans at the Allianz Stadium.

The transformation of Melbourne’s second club – now 80 per cent owned by City Football Group which also controls English champions, Manchester City – is as intriguing a story as Villa’s much-talked about guest stint.

The 32-year-old will play up to 10 A-League games as preparation for his move to Major League Soccer (MLS) club, New York City – also under the ownership of the City Football Group – for the 2015 season.

Until this year, Melbourne City were known as Melbourne Heart and lived in the shadow of two-time A-League champions Melbourne Victory. In their four previous seasons, they’d never finished higher than sixth and were dead last in 2013-2014, despite having former Liverpool winger Harry Kewell as captain. Their average home crowd was less than half of their more glamorous crosstown rivals.

But the injection of Abu Dhabi cash has dramatically changed their fortunes. Their membership numbers have jumped by more than two thousand to a healthy 9,200. Sponsors are coming out of the woodwork to get involved.

And Villa isn’t the only star attraction. Joining the ex-Spain International in the dressing room is two-time English Premier League winner Damien Duff, who set up Villa’s debut goal with a pinpoint cross. And City’s marquee player is midfielder Robert Koren, who captained Slovenia in the 2010 World Cup and played for Hull City last season.

They’re backed by a core of solid yet unfashionable homegrown players. Patrick Kisnorbo is a former Leeds United central defender who has battled back from serious injury. Erik Paartalu has just returned home from Thai club Muangthong United. Fellow midfielder Aaron Mooy is a fringe Socceroo who has joined from AFC Champions League finalists, Western Sydney Wanderers.

Villa would have been hard pressed to name any of his new teammates as he celebrated his debut goal with them. He’d had only four training sessions after flying in at the start of the week.

His last competitive match had been 107 days earlier when he scored the opening goal for Spain – against the Socceroos – in the 3-0 World Cup victory in Curitiba on June 23.

He doesn’t speak English so he can communicate only with the Spanish speakers in the group – City’s Argentine import Jonatan Germano and manager John van ‘t Schip, who has coached in Mexico.

“It’s not easy for David,” van ‘t Schip said. “In a strange country, in a strange stadium, everything is new for him here and it’s a team that he never played in before.

“He’s been very humble and integrated well into the team. The players like him: they love him. In return, he’s happy to be with us and he’s enjoying his time. Now we have to get stronger with David and as a team.”

Villa is staying in a Melbourne hotel without his wife and three children who are already focusing on getting settled in New York City. He’ll travel to the United States just before Christmas ahead of the new MLS season, which begins in March.

“During this period of inactivity, it’s important for me to play with a team,” Villa said. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for me to play in another league and another continent.”

His future New York City teammate Frank Lampard chose to go on-loan with Manchester City as he waits for the 2015 MLS season. Indeed, there is a sense that, despite the hype, Villa sees his A-League adventure as little more than a glorified training stint.

Even so, that won’t stop Australia’s fast growing soccer fraternity from getting excited about watching the man who won three La Liga titles, three Copa del Reys, as well as the UEFA Champions League, in addition to his many trophies and honours at international level.

The club’s record crowd for a non-Melbourne derby is just 13,752 when Alessandro Del Piero and Sydney FC came to town in 2013. There’s every chance that number will be surpassed on Sunday for the visit of the Newcastle Jets, as fans click through the turnstiles at AAMI Park to catch a glimpse of Melbourne City’s bearded number-9.

* Jason Dasey is Senior Editor of ESPN FC, Borneo’s most popular English language football website. Twitter: @JasonDasey