Question: What do Aleix Garcia and Oriol Romeu have in common?
Answer: They both come from Ulldecona, a small town in South Catalonia.
With a population of just under 7,000, the nearly 900-year-old town now has two of them playing in the Premier League, and El Confidencial had a look at how this small ‘municipio’ has produced two Premier League central midfielders.
As El Confidencial put it, ‘each time Southampton or Manchester City are on the pitch, the four bars of the Plaza de la Iglesia become improvised stands where family, friends and acquaintances of the pair follow their adventures in the perfidous Albion’.
Speaking to El Confidencial, Oriol Romeu, who currently plays for Southampton, explained they feel loved, and feel the support from the distance.
He said: “Both Aleix and I are very proud of our villages. We grew up there and spent many hours playing on the school pitches, we both have our group of friends, family, and when you get the chance to escape, it’s to good spend time with them and relax.
“Everyone makes you feel loved. Once, I was asked where I’d want to go if I had a plane, and I said Ulldecona. For me, there’s nowhere better on earth.”
With the sea 15 minutes away, the mountains nearby and a Michelin star restaurant, what else could the youth of today want, really?
Both players aren’t ungrateful either: the Southampton player has already created the Oriol Romeu Experience, a football summer school for 25 kids in Ulldecona, and Aleix Garcia popped down to help out.
The big day for Ulldecona, though, will be the 23rd of October, when City face Southampton at the Etihad, but Romeu reckons the town will bet on a draw, then everyone stays happy.
There’s every chance he’ll start, too, having played in every league game so far, but the big question is whether Garcia will make an appearance.
Let’s hope so. For Ulldecona’s sake.
