I played for Arsenal and dreamed of El Clasico, now I’m looking to avoid relegation to League One
JULIO PLEGUEZUELO came through the youth systems of Atletico Madrid and Barcelona and has played for Arsenal.
But this weekend the 27-year-old defender and Plymouth are fighting for their Championship lives at Millwall.
The Pilgrims are two points above the bottom three and know victory at The Den should be enough to secure them another season in the second tier after winning promotion last year.
Pleguezuelo has had some glittering football heritage and was an eye-opening summer signing from Dutch side FC Twente.
But now the equation is simple — win on Saturday or next week against Hull — or face life in League One.
The defender said: “We definitely feel the pressure. We know what’s at stake but at the same time I wouldn’t trade our position with the likes of Sheffield Wednesday, Huddersfield or Birmingham. It’s in our own hands.
“It’s going to be two difficult games but the mood has been good, the lads have been training well so we have to approach the game as we always do and try to get the three points.
“Millwall is going to be hostile, I expect probably not pretty football and it’ll be their last home game, so they’ll want to put on a show for their fans.
“But we have got to stand up to that and get a positive result.”
While Pleguezuelo would have come through at Barcelona as a kid dreaming of one day playing in El Clasico, the Spaniard says these games where Championship status is at stake are the ones that get the juices flowing.
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By Dave Kidd
WHEN Manchester United got lucky in their FA Cup semi-final, Antony’s first instinct was to goad heartbroken opponents Coventry. To rub their noses in the dirt.
Antony seems to be a vile individual but this isn’t really about Antony. Because Antony is merely a symptom of the hideous sickness within England’s top flight.
There is so much wrong.
After our elite clubs persuaded the FA to completely scrap Cup replays — which gave us Ronnie Radford and Ricky Villa and Ryan Giggs — without due recompense or reasoning with the rest of English football.
The previous day, after his Manchester City side had defeated Chelsea in the other FA Cup semi-final, Pep Guardiola whinged about the fixture scheduling of TV companies who effectively pay much of his £20m salary.
Up at Wolves, Guardiola’s friend and rival Mikel Arteta was playing the same sad song about fixture congestion, despite his Arsenal side having played two fewer games this season than Coventry — who don’t have £50m squad players to rotate with.
Chelsea, oh Chelsea. The one-time plaything of a Russian oligarch now owned by financially incontinent venture capitalists who have piddled £1billion on a squad of players who fight like weasels in a sack about who should bask in the personal glory of scoring the penalty that puts them 5-0 up against Everton.
He said: “Where there is more at stake you kind of focus more and play better because if you play a match where you have nothing to play for, it’s not the same.
“There’s pressure but it’s a good type, so hopefully we can get over the line.”
Pleguezuelo was signed by Arsenal as a 16-year-old from Barcelona and at that time he was chased by many clubs, including Manchester City.
But despite spending six years with the Gunners, he only made one senior appearance — playing the full 90 minutes in a 3-1 EFL Cup win against Blackpool in 2018.
And after four years at FC Twente, this is his first full season in senior English football.
He said: “For the first season in a league like the Championship, I’ve done well.
“I’ve come from a completely different league after four years and I’ve adapted well to the game here.
“The Championship is one of the best leagues in the world and Plymouth and myself have done well.
“This division isn’t the same as it was before.
“Teams have realised they have to adapt their style because probably long-ball doesn’t cut it any more.
“But some things can still be useful in the Championship.
“It’s definitely nice to see more teams trying to play attacking football.”
Pleguezuelo holds the distinction of being Plymouth’s first and only Spanish player — and although he has spent most of his life in big cities, he is loving life on the Devon coast.
He added: “I’ve lived in London since I was 16 and obviously Plymouth is different to London but it has been a good season for me in the South West. I love the city, the club, the fans and I am having a great time.
“My family lives in London, so I go back to see them most of the time, so I get both lives.”
One player who is destined to go on to bigger things is Pilgrims forward Morgan Whittaker, 23, who has attracted interest from Italians Lazio and Portuguese club Sporting.
There are sure to be Premier League suitors this summer too for the 20-goal ace.
Pleguezuelo said: “He’s a great player and has been massive for us.
“We know it will be difficult to keep him but hopefully he can help us in these last two games get over the line.”
Millwall have confirmed Polish keeper Bartosz Bialkowski, 36, will leave the club after five years this summer once his contract expires.