Brentford midfielder Joel Valencia is one of the many South American players who’ve spoken to their home country’s media this week.
With the Coronavirus crisis getting to Europe first, the Latin America press has been curious about how players have been doing in this difficult time.
Valencia was interviewed by Radio Cobertura (via Futbol Ecuador). He has family both in Ecuador as in Spain, and claims that all of his relatives have been fine for now.
“Football has gone into the background. I talked to my mum, and my little town Puerto Quito is very small and I think there’s only one case, or two at most. They are well. In Spain the situation is more difficult, I have spoken with my aunt and my nephew who are there and the situation is chaotic, people haven’t followed the rules and the virus has spread faster than it should.”
“I have a family in Spain and they have told me to buy food, but in England it’s a bit normal, there are few people in the supermarkets and they are not out of stock. If your life is football and suddenly you have to lock yourself up at home and not play, it will always be difficult but you have to think that it is for the good of all.”
Valencia has also been interviewed by MachDeportes, and talked a little about his hope of representing Ecuador’s national team one day.
It’s been recently reported that manager Jordi Cruyff has been in Europe watching several players who could make it to the squad, and made a list of 70 who could be called up.
“Perhaps they didn’t give my number to Jordi Cruyff yet,” said the Brentford player.
Despite being born in Ecuador, Valencia also has Spanish citizenship. He’s played for both countries at youth levels, but never made a debut for the first team.
