ALEX MORENO knows all about ending a club’s long wait for silverware.
The Spanish left-back, 29, helped win the Copa del Rey for Manuel Pellegrini’s Real Betis last season.
GettyAlex Moreno has impressed since joining Aston Villa in January[/caption]
ReutersPep Guardiola was manager of Barcelona when Alex Moreno was at the club as a youngster[/caption]
It came after 17 years without top honours for Betis and Moreno owns a green bracelet that commemorates the win.
Villa‘s last major win came in the 1996 League Cup final success against Leeds.
But their boss Unai Emery convinced Moreno to leave Betis for Villa in a £14million January deal with a plan to have them competing for titles again.
Moreno said: “This is the ambition and to fulfil this we have to be focused on the biggest prizes together as one club, not as individuals.
“It is an historical club. Unai explained it, what he envisions and his ambition, and what he aspires to do. That is why I was so keen to join.
“It is a club that’s been away from the highest level for a while and Unai believes we can do big things with this team.”
After a bad start to the term under ex-boss Steven Gerrard, Villa are now sixth with five games left and six points behind today’s hosts Manchester United in fourth.
Moreno’s career has taught him achieving your dreams requires patience.
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He signed for Barcelona‘s youth set-up aged 17, learning from Pep Guardiola and training with the likes of Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and Xavi.
Moreno said: “The only words from Guardiola I remember were to listen, enjoy the moment and don’t get too carried away. Feel it, enjoy it and act normal.”
After Barca, he had to forge a career in Spain’s third and second divisions with Mallorca, Rayo Vallecano and Elche before “fighting his way” to La Liga with Betis in 2019.
Moreno said: “To Betis, I owe a lot. They trusted me and I grew there. I played at a high level, Pellegrini made me better.
“I still have a lot of friends there and keep receiving nice messages from them.”
Moreno makes connections with Villa fans through streaming videos and online gaming.
And it has helped that his fine attacking play, which has led to three assists, has become key to Emery’s winning tactics.
The Catalonia-born star is also enjoying his personal life as, just before his arrival at Villa Park, he proposed to his girlfriend at the famous Trevi Fountain in Rome.
But he is missing his two puppies who are back home in Seville and awaiting approved paperwork before they can make the trip to England.
The prospect of a European spot is keeping Villa focused, though and he added: “Five months ago the situation was very different.
“This is a result of the work that has been done together in order to change the situation.
“There is now a possibility for us to finish in Europe but it is about focusing on the next five games, which for us are five finals — and that starts on Sunday.”