Maxi Gómez met up with another Uruguayan at the Ciudad Deportiva in a chance encounter on Monday, crossing paths with Gonzalo de los Santos.

The latter was on the books at Valencia CF from 2001 until 2006, amidst loan spells from 2003 onwards, and occasionally visits the training ground.

"Every time that I go to Valencia to see family and friends, I go to Paterna. There are still people there from my time as a player," said 'Uru.'

"I went with my two children, they told Maxi that I was there, and he came out to see me."

The pair had coincided briefly during De los Santos' time as sporting director in Uruguay, with a young Gómez playing against his club CA Peñarol.

“I asked how he was doing and how he was feeling. I explained to him what Valencia CF meant and I told him about the opportunity he had to become a hero. What he is achieving is down to hard work and effort, and I'm very happy for him," says De los Santos.

"I'm nobody to give advice to him, but I can give him suggestions. I'm just a Uruguayan who likes football, not his father," he continued. "Maxi is hungry to succeed. He has an enormous journey ahead of him and a goalscoring potential that will take him to where he wants to be. The only thing I ask is that he enjoys the city and the team. He's at the team where he can grow the most. When the fans at Mestalla support you, there is no way of stopping you. They support you, but they are also demanding of you."