Carlos Soler set for first, possibly last, return to Mestalla as rival | OneFootball

Carlos Soler will step out at Mestalla this Sunday as an opponent for the first time, and possibly the last, when Real Sociedad visit Valencia.

As reported by AS, he has faced Valencia only twice, and never at Mestalla in another shirt. The latest came at Anoeta in May, the first 22 years ago with Bonrepós, when, aged seven, he scored the three goals in a win and soon joined Valencia’s Benjamín side.

His last Mestalla outing as a Valencia player was against Atlético on 28 August 2022, hours before Paris Saint Germain moved to sign him for 18 million euros plus 4 in add-ons. Peter Lim completed the sale on deadline day without prior notice, leaving Soler without a chance to say goodbye to the fans or the ground he saw as home.

Soler grew up in the Gol Xicotet, where his family held season tickets. The 2003-04 treble season, when he was seven, brought La Liga, the UEFA Cup and the European Super Cup, with David Albelda and Rubén Baraja the midfielders he looked up to.

He played 226 games for Valencia, wore the armband in his final spell, lifted a Copa del Rey and featured in another final.

From his time there, only a few remain in the dressing room, including José Luis Gayà, Mouctar Diakhaby, Hugo Duro, Vázquez, Rivero, and academy pair Guerra and Diego López, who had not yet debuted back then.

Source: AS

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”