Voro returns to Logroño with over two decades of history there

Going back to Logroño is always special for Voro, the Valencia CF Team Manager and former player, coach and delegate who ended his playing career at CD Logroñés.

He joined the club from Deportivo La Coruña in December of 1996, on a 2.5 year deal. Under both Líber Arispe and Carlos Aimar (the coach who took over on Matchday 20), Voro was a regular starter, but was unable to prevent the CD Logroñés from being relegated to the Segunda División.

“It wasn't a good experience in sporting terms, but that summer a project was put together to get us back into the Primera División," recalls Voro. Even this optimism failed to materialise into results, as coach Víctor Muñoz would not manage to get the team promoted immediately.

In fact, it wasn't until the tenth game of the season, against CD Leganés, that they would claim their first win. Two changes of coach were made over the course of the season, with Marco Antonio Boronat eventually earning survival.

Unfortunately for Voro, a knee injury suffered in a game against CF Extremadura on February 8th, 1998, brought his playing career to an end.

"I couldn't train, the injury hurt and I never recovered," says Voro of the condition which failed to improve, even after surgery carried out in Barcelona. A second operation would also not allow him to make a comeback, and he would never return to professional action.

"There's always been a special charm about games between CD Logroñés and Valencia CF, even though this time we are playing UD Logroñés”, comments Voro. The new club were formed in 2009 from previous outfit CD Varea.

“Logroño is a city that I love. It's small and very cosy. The people are very friendly; I have many friends there because I was very comfortable in the city, even though we unfortunately couldn't get the results there."

When at CD Logroñés, he coincided with the likes of Jorge López, Ochotorena, Abadía, Cedrún, Quique Álvarez, Xavi Roca, Nayim, Marcelo Tejera and Rubén Sosa, whilst his most recent trip there was with Valencia CF as delegate in 2010. On Wednesday evening, he returns to Logroño, almost ten years on.