Manor Solomon on his Villarreal spell: 'A teammate wouldn't shake my hand or embrace me when I scored'
Manor Solomon has spoken candidly about his difficult period at Villarreal, where the Israeli winger faced hundreds of hate messages, verbal aggression from supporters and social exclusion within the dressing room. The 26-year-old winger, who spent this season on loan at Fiorentina and contributed 2 goals and 2 assists in Serie A and the Conference League, will return to Tottenham Hotspur this summer, where he remains under contract until 2028.
From the Premier League into chaos in Spain
The move to Villarreal felt like a mistake from the moment Solomon arrived. Speaking to Sport 5, he described how his transfer to the Yellow Submarine came about: at the end of the transfer window, Villarreal made their move, there was no time to hesitate, and he agreed immediately. But once he landed in Spain, reality proved far removed from what he was accustomed to in England. "When you sign in England, you're immediately approached by the communications director, the team manager, the club doctor — everyone is there for you. In Spain, nobody spoke to me except the coach who knew English," Solomon recalled. That he eventually managed fine was thanks to an Israeli employee of agent Pini Zahavi who helped him sort things out. "Otherwise I would have been completely alone. And we're talking about a club that plays in the Champions League."
Hundreds of hate messages and blood-stained flags
The sporting disappointment was one thing, but what Solomon experienced off the pitch weighed far heavier. The moment his signature hit the contract, hate messages flooded in. "Tens, perhaps hundreds of thousands of messages: 'I hope you burn,' 'I hope you die' — directed at my wife too," the winger described. During an away match in Sevilla, things spiraled out of control during warm-up with the ultras. Supporters held a Palestinian flag in front of his face and an Israeli flag covered in blood. "They didn't stop cursing for a second." Solomon stressed that he's willing to explain his situation to anyone who wants to listen, but not under aggression. "If someone asks me about it, I'm happy to explain."
Moroccan teammate refused to shake his hand
Within the dressing room too, Solomon felt the tension. A Moroccan teammate refused to shake his hand and wouldn't embrace him when he scored. "That's his decision," Solomon said about it, without further accusation. The mental toll was severe: "In the first week I was almost depressed. I'd never experienced anything like that at any other club." So it came as little surprise that his time at Villarreal proved short-lived. Solomon wanted out himself and eventually moved to Fiorentina, where he showed his worth in the second half of the season.
Back at Tottenham under Roberto De Zerbi
After his loan spell at La Viola, Solomon returns to Tottenham Hotspur this summer. The London club has tied him down until 2028 and he will work through preseason under new coach Roberto De Zerbi. Fiorentina chose not to exercise their purchase option, making his exit from Italian football permanent. What the future holds for Solomon at Tottenham remains to be seen.
Related
Source: Via TUTTO mercato WEB (GNews)
Comments
- Be the first to comment.