Cazorla renaissance in full swing as Villarreal chase Champions League finish

It was route one stuff that led to Gerard Moreno's first and Villarreal's second in their eventual 2-0 win over Valencia, but it was a goal made possible by the most sumptuous first touch by Santi Cazorla. Perceived by many to be the best two-footed player in the game, it was a deft touch off his left from Sergio Asenjo's thump upfield that teed up Moreno perfectly to double Villarreal's advantage. 

While Moreno was named the WhoScored man of the match with a 8.49 having had a direct hand in both goals, it was the performance of Cazorla once more than caught the eye. Indeed, the dimuntive midfielder returned a WhoScored rating of 8.40 from the victory, enough to make the LaLiga team of the week, as he continued his renaissance. 

Few could have predicted he'd make such a sustained impact on the back of his return to Spain, yet the creator has been nothing short of exceptional in a Villarreal shirt. It's all the more impressive given his injury history. In his final season with Arsenal, Cazorla made just eight league outings and was informed he'd never play football again, with a doctor previously insinuating the best he could hope for is to walk in the garden, let alone grace a pitch. Amputation was even a possibility such was the severity of his injuries. 

"I'm a jigsaw puzzle," Cazorla told Sid Lowe in a 2018 interview and it's the perfect descripton of a player who has needed countless operations. There is a piece of his left forearm on his right ankle and a new Achilles made from rolled-up hamstring. He's been pulled apart and put back together again and the fact he is playing to such a high standard is a greater magic trick than the one that revealed his Villarreal return two years ago. 

Drawing ample admirers, Cazorla returned to the Spanish national team in May 2019 and, the next month, made his first international appearance in 1302 days in a 4-1 win over Faroe Islands. His story is nothing short of remarkable and his stats back up the impressive impact he has made back in Spain. Four goals and 10 assists was a fine return in 2018/19 and, his assist for Moreno, means he has eight goals and eight assists in Spain's top tier this term; only Lionel Messi, with 17 at the time of writing, has more. 

Initially seen as a swansong to wind down his career, Cazorla has had a new lease of life and has been vital in Villarreal's charge for European football. The Yellow Submarine have been one of the form teams post-lockdown, picking up 13 of a possible 15 points, and their victory on Sunday moved them to within three points of the top four. With six games to play, and those around them faltering, you'd back Villarreal to secure a Champions League return, particularly with Cazorla hitting his stride. 

64 key passes is the fourth best in LaLiga this season and accounts for around 20% of the total number of goalscoring chances Villarreal have created this term as Cazorla pulls the strings from both open play and set-pieces as Arsenal fans watch on wondering what could have been. He is still held in high regard by the Gunners faithful and it must hurt to watch him thrive back in Spain given how his time in north London ended. 

And at the grand old age of 35, Cazorla is proof that age is but a number as he continues to dictate the tempo in this Champions League chasing Villarreal side. Next up for the Yellow Submarine is a trip to out-of-sorts Real Betis, who while unbeaten in four on home turf, Villarreal will be confident of coming away from the Benito Villamarin Stadium with all three points in tow. 

After enjoying one of his best performances in a Villarreal shirt this season, too, Cazorla will be looking to follow up his wonderful outing against Los Che with another possible match winning showing as the Spaniard proves there is life in the old dog yet at the Estadio de la Ceramica.