Emi Martinez ‘grill master’, Pau Torres as a midfielder and Aston Villa duo share World Cup dream
Emi Buendía and Pau Torres have been talking about the tight-knit Spanish-speaking group at Aston Villa
From barbecues to dressing room banter, Aston Villa’s Spanish-speaking players, past and present, brought a vibrant new culture to the club – one that grew even stronger after Unai Emery and his staff arrived three years ago.
Alongside him came several Spanish members of staff, including Damian Vidagany, who has played a key role behind the scenes throughout Emery’s tenure.
Monchi has also come and gone during that period, recently replaced by Roberto Olabe, while even the women’s team is now coached by Natalia Arroyo, who also joined from Real Sociedad.
However, the first-team squad’s Hispanic presence has gradually decreased over the past 12 months, with Diego Carlos, Philippe Coutinho, Douglas Luiz, and Alex Moreno all leaving the club.
The remaining members of this close-knit group are Emi Buendía, Emi Martínez, Pau Torres, and Andrés García.
“It’s really important for us Spanish speakers to have teammates who share our language and culture,” Buendia told Telemundo Deportes.
“There are fewer of us now – it’s mostly me, Pau, and Dibu. Before, we also had some Brazilians and John Durán from Colombia, so it was a bigger group.
“Still, it’s nice to have those teammates. We spend time together off the pitch too – we get together with our families, socialise – and that’s really important for all of us.”
“Dibu’s the grill master! He’s the genius when it comes to barbecues,” Torres added. “Though, to be fair, Emi just got a new grill at home and his turned out pretty good too. But Dibu definitely dominates that department – just like he does in goal!”
Both Buendía and Torres have been on the fringes of their national team squads and face an uphill battle to secure a place in Argentina’s and Spain’s squads, respectively, for the 2026 World Cup.
“It’s always a dream. Playing for your country in a World Cup is the ultimate goal,” Buendia admitted. “As an Argentine, and after winning the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, it’s a huge motivation.
“I’ve been called up a few times, and I always feel welcomed. Hopefully, if I keep performing well here at Villa – scoring, assisting, helping the team – I’ll have a chance. If not, I’ll still be supporting my country with pride.”
“Yes, as Emi said, our focus now is doing our best here with the club,” Torres added. “If we perform well and help Villa achieve its goals, that will naturally bring opportunities with our national teams.
“I was lucky to experience a World Cup in Qatar – it’s something truly special, representing your country on that stage. I’d love to experience it again, but for that, I have to stay at a high level this season and let the coach decide.”
Torres has started seven of Villa’s last eight games, during which the club has won five times, losing only to Liverpool at Anfield and Go Ahead Eagles in Deventer.
His exceptional ball-playing ability will be relied upon in the coming weeks, as Tyrone Mings is expected to be sidelined until 2026 with a hamstring injury.
“It’s something that’s always been part of my game – trying to play forward to give my teammates an advantage,” the defender explained. “It fits with our playing philosophy: keeping the ball, building up, and breaking lines.
“When you can beat the press and move the ball forward cleanly, it gives confidence to the whole team. It makes us feel comfortable and in control of the match.”
Asked if Torres could make the step into midfield, Buendia said: “Absolutely! We’ve joked about that before – he’d make a great central midfielder. He reads the game really well, has great vision and passing, and positions himself intelligently.
“I love when he plays those line-breaking passes from the back. I try to find space between the opponent’s midfielders, and he always looks for that option.”
Speaking about the club’s turnaround in form, the Argentine acknowledged: “I think the start wasn’t what we wanted, obviously, but the team kept working in the best way possible to make sure the results would come.
“We’ve always tried to show that we have a clear playing style – the team’s philosophy and the coach’s idea are to keep the ball, stay strong defensively, and be a tough unit.
“We’ve stayed confident, kept playing our way, and the results have followed. Hopefully we can keep this confidence and keep showing that we’re a strong team with big ambitions.
“Even when results weren’t going our way at the start – when we couldn’t even get our first win or goal – the key was that the group stayed united and kept working.
“The coach and his staff stayed focused on the same idea: keep believing in the process, work hard, and the results would come. Unai gets the most out of you. He prepares every training week down to the smallest detail, so when match day arrives, you’re ready to perform at your best – individually and collectively. That’s been key to our success.”
“Unai is a born worker,” Torres added. “He lives and breathes football. He spends countless hours here at the training ground, and the success he’s had isn’t a coincidence – it’s down to hard work and consistency.
“He prepares every match in incredible detail. His analysis of every opponent is deep and precise, so when you go out on the pitch, you already know pretty well what to expect – how the rival will play, what you have to do, and the situations you might face.
“That helps a lot as a player to approach each game with the right focus, and that’s one of his biggest strengths as a coach.”
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