"I PUT THE BALL BETWEEN ALVES AND PUYOL AND SMASHED IT PAST VALDES - AN INCREDIBLE FEELING!"

Leeds' favourite magician recalls developing with David Silva, destroying Pep's Barça and winning silverware at Swansea

- Paul Wilkes

You played with David Silva in Valencia's academy - what was he like then?

He was a unique footballer. I joined Valencia aged 16 and played alongside him, then we played together for the reserves, and for the first team when he was 21 and I was 22. He was different. He could see things that others couldn't. He always spotted the correct pass, and in training he never gave the ball away it was impossible to take it from him.

How did your eventual breakthrough at Valencia feel, having had to wait and spend time at other clubs first?

I played for the youth teams, but left at 18. I went to Club Deportivo Onda - quite close to where I'm from, in Castellon - when they were in the third division. After a good year, Valencia recalled me and I returned to the second team. I made my first-team debut, then was loaned to Cadiz and Getafe. When I came back, I was playing with world-class guys like David Villa, Patrick Kluivert and Juan Mata. For me, it was a dream. All of it helped me to improve and eventually I was invited to join the national team.

Did having so many top attacking players help with your progression?

I became a playmaker only when I moved to England - back then, I was a winger. It was easy playing in that role with great guys like Mata, Villa, Silva and Joaquin. That improves you as a player. At that age, I had different characteristics. Just to play in the first team was amazing, as I knew how hard it was for a youngster to come into the Valencia team and play an important part.

You played under Michael Laudrup for the first time at Getafe - what was that like?