Pasieguito: Real Sociedad's greatest gift to Valencia CF

Valencia CF play Real Sociedad this week in LaLiga, and the opponents on Matchday 7 provided the club with one of their greatest ever legends. 

Bernardino Pérez Elizarán, known as 'Pasieguito', came up through the lower categories of Real Sociedad and even made his debut with the senior side in the Primera División. However, it was at Valencia CF where he rose to fame, representing the club as a player, coach and technical secretary.

In 1943, Pasieguito joined Valencia CF when he was only 17 years old. His debut was on March 21st of that same year in an away victory against Granada CF. However, his career took an unexpected pause when RCD Espanyol, who had wanted to sign him, reported him for playing as a minor. With a possible sanction for Valencia CF being relegation, Pasieguito declared that he had falsified his age in the documentation, and was suspended for a year.

After this break and a loan to Levante UD, he returned. In 1948 under Jacinto Quincoces, he came to prominence. Pasieguito wore the Valencia CF shirt for 16 seasons, playing 293 official matches, scoring 85 goals and providing 45 assists, en route to winning 2 league titles (1944 and 1947) and 2 Copa del Reys (1949 and 1954).

After his retirement in 1960, he had four spells as coach (1963-64, 1977, 1979 and 1980-82), winning the Copa del Rey in 1979 and the European Super Cup in 1980.

As head of the sports management at Valencia CF, he brought in players like Diarte, Sempere, Subirats, Mario Kempes and Predag Mitjatovic.