After returning from lockdown, there’s been a distinct line between players: those handling the return well and those struggling. In the case of Wolves striker Rafa Mir, it’s been a case of the latter.
Mir currently finds himself on loan at Spanish side Huesca, whom he joined from Wolves on loan after a failed spell with Nottingham Forest in the first half of the campaign.
He was building confidence and form back in Spain, winning over fans with two goals before the lockdown caused by the Coronavirus outbreak.
That Marca says, prevented him from shining, something he is now doing since his return from confinement.
The newspaper covers his situation today and explain that, as well as winning over Huesca fans with ‘goals, commitment, struggle and work’ he’s also pushing his side’s promotion hopes.
In terms of numbers, he is the top goalscorer in Spanish football since the return, sitting alongside Sergio Ramos and Gerard Moreno in that regard.
Indeed, so far he’s managing a goal every 92 minutes, a total only bettered by Moreno’s tally of a strike every 83 minutes.
His contribution has been more than goals though, something his coaches, teammates and managers have recognised.
Marca explains that there’s an acknowledgement at the club that Mir’s ‘sacrifice is vital for the team’ even though it means can’t ‘shine as brightly’.
This was seen in the recent clash with Cadiz, in which the Wolves man didn’t score but ran more than 13km and ‘did everything’ that his manager was asking to do in an attacking sense.
As mentioned, his efforts are not going unnoticed, and it seems the work he did during confinement is ‘bearing fruit’ for the player, who was determined to return to Huesca when given the choice in January.
With them now firmly in the promotion hunt and him key to that turnaround, perhaps the Spanish club will look to activate the purchase option they have, which may come as good news for Wolves should they look to sell in the summer.
