Both coincided at Arsenal, but the coach gave him no alternative, he went to Croatia and is the rival who knows him best in this round
ANDste Dinamo Zagreb-Villarreal guard one more anecdote in Unai Emery’s long career on the benches. It will be the first time that the coach will face the Croatian team and he will do so in this Europa League. A team, which by the way has already dismounted Tottenham de Mourinho… and that the references of the past are rather scarce. Maybe he only link is the ‘Emery-Burton connection’. The latter, Robbie by name and Burton by last name, is a 21-year-old Welsh midfielder who joined Zagreb last summer from Arsenal.
This young footballer met all the requirements within the neat Gunners quarry. And more in a club like the English one that is not hesitant about giving opportunities to young people. Well Burton, at 19, was already emerging in the Arsenal subsidiary … and Emery was the coach of the English team at that time. Summer 2019. Play a friendly with the ‘elders’ and Emery when being questioned by the boy was sincere. “Do not know him”. A) Yes. Suddenly. The fact is that it was an assistant of his, the mythical Swede Ljumberg who also played for Arsenal, the one who suggested he watch it. Let him try it. The Basque coach did not know him … but tested it. That preseason period. He didn’t get a single chance with Unai. It is true that the technician left the team a few months later. but he never saw it as an option.
The ‘unknown’ Burton played a score of games in the U23 team. However, Burton can say that he is the only Dinamo Zagreb player who knows Unai and his working methods. The young Welshman did not play but he did ‘soak’ in the way of playing and competing session after session. And this Dinamo from Zagreb-Villarreal has the curiosity of if the ‘unknown’ Burton can get a slice of it.
He joined the Croatian team this summer. Pierced. It was by decision of the Welshman. A personal bet. Play but with a dropper. He chose it for being a historic club, which has also been started by young people and plays in the League and Europa League. It is therefore the rival player who more and better knows the way of proceeding of Villarreal de Unai Emery.
