DAVID VILLA SAYS he will be ‘giving everything’ for Melbourne City during his guest stint at the club and claims Spain are expecting a tough game when they play the Socceroos at the FIFA World Cup.
It was confirmed on Thursday that Villa, having left Atletico Madrid after helping to bring the La Liga title to the Estadio Vicente Calderon, will spend a 10-game loan deal at the A-League side – rebranded from Melbourne Heart by owners Manchester City for the 2014-15 season – before joining new MLS club New York City at the start of 2015.
First though the 32-year-old will be part of the Spain squad to take on Australia’s national team in Group B at the World Cup in Brazil, with the striker tipping the world and European champions not to have it all their own way against Ange Postecoglou’s men.
“They (the Socceroos) are at the World Cup on their own merits,” he said.
“It’s never easy for any team to reach the World Cup finals, qualifying for that tournament is always tough to achieve. Now we’ve been drawn together in the same group and it’s going to be a difficult game for us.
“Australia will want to make things as hard as they possibly can for an opponent like Spain. So I’m sure it won’t be an easy encounter for us, far from it.”
Villa hailed his upcoming spell at Melbourne City as the ideal solution to the lengthy gap between the World Cup finishing and the next MLS campaign kicking off in February 2015, when New York City will make their debut in the competition.
“It’s very good for me in every sense,” Villa said.
“From a football point of view it’s the opportunity to play in a new league in a different country, and of course it will be ideal for me to get some competitive football in the period before the MLS season gets under way. I’m sure that playing for Melbourne City FC will be a marvellous experience.”
When asked about his objectives for the short stay in the A-League, Villa said: “What I’ve always done throughout my career is do the best I possibly can. That is what I will do for Melbourne City FC in every game that I play for them. I’ll be giving everything for the team, just like I have with every club I’ve played for.”
