SPAIN: FOOTBALL/SOCCER: Excited Athletico fans invade the pitch at the Vicente Calderon Stadium during David Villa's presentation / 'El Guaje' will wear the number 9 shirt left by Falcao

Record ID: 190038

  • Title: SPAIN: FOOTBALL/SOCCER: Excited Athletico fans invade the pitch at the Vicente Calderon Stadium during David Villa's presentation / 'El Guaje' will wear the number 9 shirt left by Falcao
  • Date: 15th July 2013
  • Summary: MADRID, SPAIN (JULY 15, 2013) (REUTERS) DAVID VILLA RUNNING ONTO PITCH WEARING ATLETICO MADRID OUTFIT VILLA RUNNING ON PITCH VARIOUS OF VILLA SHOWING HIS SKILLS VILLA TALKING TO FANS/ FANS IN THE BACKGROUND CHEERING VILLA SIGNING BALL AND KICKING IT IN DIRECTION OF FANS FANS TRYING TO GET BALL SECURITY GUARD CHASING FAN INVADING PITCH AND TACKLING HIM TO THE GROUND / FAN HUGGING SECURITY GUARD AS HE IS PINNED TO THE GROUND FANS ON THE PITCH GETTING PUSHED AWAY BY SECURITY GUARDS AS THEY TRY TO GET CLOSE TO VILLA POLICE RUNNING ONTO TO PITCH AND HELPING SECURITY GUARDS FEND FANS AWAY FROM VILLA AS THEY ESCORT HIM AWAY POLICE FOLLOWING VILLA BACK INTO THE STADIUM DOZENS OF FANS RUNNING ON THE PITCH AND ONE SAYING "WE ARE THE GREATEST , NOBODY CAN BEAT US" FANS JUMPING UP AND DOWN CHANTING "ATLETIC!! FANS RUNNING ON PITCH AND CHANTING POLICE AND FANS HEADING BACK TO THE STANDS VILLA WALKING ONTO STAGE FOR PRESENTATION AND NEWS CONFERENCE CAMERAS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DAVID VILLA, NEW ATLETICO MADRID STRIKER, SAYING: "At least initially what the coach said and the people of the club said to me is that I will play the position of number 9, the vacancy left by Falcao, but I have also told him that I'm here to help a team that's made, a winning team and I will give everything I can to make it better, whether it's one position or another" PHOTOGRAPHER (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DAVID VILLA, NEW ATLETICO MADRID STRIKER, SAYING: "In this case, I have left Barcelona to be in the national squad (nods negatively). I have left Barcelona because I didn't play as much as I wanted to and if there was a World Cup and I wasn't on the squad, I would have still gone for playing because I love this sport and I think I still have many good years ahead, I want to enjoy the sport and on the bench I'm not doing that" VILLA SITTING NEXT TO PRESIDENT OF ATLETICO MADRID ENRIQUE CEREZO (ON VILLA'S LEFT) CEREZO PRESENTING NUMBER 9 SHIRT TO VILLA VARIOUS OF VILLA POSING WITH ATLETICO NUMBER 9 SHIRT
  • Embargoed: 30th July 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Spain
  • Country: Spain
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA9PAN1O2NMS4JWS7RRR2JVVSXS
  • Story Text: The presentation of new striker David Villa triggered a frenzy amongst Atletico Madrid fans who invaded the pitch outwitting security guards as 'El Guaje' was presented on Monday (July 15) at the Vicente Calderon Stadium with the number 9 jersey, replacing Radamel Falcao who tranferred to Monaco.
    Villa, who took the pitch invasion calmly, was protected by security guards who kept over-excited fans away from the former Barcelona player and escorted him off the pitch.
    Atletico Madrid reached an agreement to sign Spain striker Villa from Spanish champions Barcelona a week previouslky in what could be one of the bargain deals of the closed season.
    Villa, 31, is Spain's all-time leading scorer and moved for a fee of up to 5.1 million euros (4.38 million pounds), with Barca reserving 50 percent of the rights over any future transfer.
    Atletico paid 2.1 million euros this season and the club will pay a further two million if Villa continues to play at the Calderon in the 2014/15 season, plus another one million if he extends his contract to 2016, Barca said in a statement.
    The signing is something of a coup for King's Cup winners Atletico, who were looking for a replacement for Colombia striker Falcao.
    "At least initially what the coach said and the people of the club said to me is that I will play the position of number 9, the vacancy left by Falcao, but I have also told him that I'm here to help a team that's made -- a winning team and I will give everything I can to make it better, whether it's one position or another," Villa said at his presentation with Atletico officials.
    The arrival of young Brazil forward Neymar at the Nou Camp had threatened to push Villa even further out of the reckoning in Tito Vilanova's side, after a season where he struggled to hold down a regular first team place.
    Villla denied he wanted to get more playing to secure a place in the national squad with the World Cup finals looming in Brazil next year.
    "I have left Barcelona because I didn't play as much as I wanted to and if there was a World Cup and I wasn't on the squad, I would have still gone for playing because I love this sport and I think I still have many good years ahead, I want to enjoy the sport and on the bench I'm not doing that," Villa told reporters.
    Atletico finished third in La Liga last season and qualified for the Champions League group stage, but the cash-strapped club looked to be at the back of the queue as Villa was linked with interest from clubs in England.
    Villa has played for Sporting Gijon, Real Zaragoza and Valencia, who he left for Barcelona in 2010 for 40 million euros.
    He scored 48 goals in 119 games with the Catalans, including one in the Champions League final against Manchester United in 2011 and helped them win two La Liga titles.
    At international level, he helped Spain win Euro 2008 and the World Cup in 2010, finishing as the side's top scorer at both tournaments.
    He missed Euro 2012 as he recovered from a broken leg suffered in the Club World Cup at the end of 2011, but remains his country's all-time leading scorer with 56 goals from 92 appearances.
    One of his first official games for Atletico could be against Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup in August.
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