July 25, 48 hours after Gonzalo Plata announced his departure from Spain to join Al Sadd SC in Qatar, the daily ASfrom Madrid, published an analysis of the transfer of the Ecuadorian winger to Real Valladolid, with whom he lost the category in the 2022-2023 season, in which he scored a single goal.

AS He was terse: “(Valladolid) gets rid of an inconsistent player with the discipline and professional rigor that (DT) Paulo Pezzolano wants to implement in a team that, in the end, also didn’t offer much.” It is added that in “his 34 appearances in the first division and 2308 minutes played, he became his peak in the European elite, after an unprofitable stint in the Portuguese league. Despite being the fourth most played player, Plata did not live up to the expectations that had been created.

The aspect highlighted as positive is that, according to AS, “the sale will allow Al Sadd to bring in a minimum of 6 million euros, since the club owned half of the pass. Therefore, the surplus value is more than double the amount paid”. After four campaigns at a discreet level in Europe, spiced with indiscipline committed in Portugal and Spain, the Ecuadorian accepted an offer of one million dollars, which financially suits him, Valladolid, Sporting from Lisbon, but also Independiente del Valle. Silver left the first world of football without being able to progress there.

‘True story’

However, now the Spanish press, specifically the El Desmarque portal, reports what the media calls the “story behind” this transfer, which they describe as a “stumble” for Silver in the sports hierarchy. For El Desmarque, the man from Guayaquil preferred “money” to “football” and transfer negotiations would be conducted directly between Plata and his brother, without the intervention of the agency that represents him, the note said.

“Despite the fact that part of the family didn’t want (him to go to Qatar) – they didn’t see it clearly from Ecuador – Gonzalo Plata ended up choosing money over football progress. There was even a huge fuss with their representatives in Spain and Europe, who were not in Qatar, because the transfer was arranged by Plata and Bryan (his brother). This can lead to a break with the agency that works with Plata,” they say in El Desmarque.

I had a psychologist

It is added that “all the people who put a lot of effort into making Plata succeed in Spain are sad because they think that they will be playing in an irrelevant league and that it is, therefore, a step backwards in their career”. The publication also states that Plata committed various disciplinary actions during his stay in Valladolid and that the club even forced him to see a psychologist.

“During his stay in Valladolid, after numerous indisciplines and a serious car accident that he hid, Real Valladolid gave him psychologists, personal trainers and gave him immense affection to try to recover him as a footballer,” the page states.

Below is the full note from El Desmarque (published on Tuesday, August 8):

‘Leave it for the money: the inside story on signing Gonzalo Plata for Al Sadd’

When Real Valladolid signed Gonzalo Plata last summer until 2027, there was already a lot of tension surrounding the Qatari offer. The second time was the charm and the Ecuadorian ended up in Qatar at the age of 22. El Desmarque tells you the inside story of the second chapter, Gonzalo Plata-Al Sadd: money, before football.

In this year 2023, the Ecuadorian winger had options in Spain, mostly in the form of a transfer with an option to buy, but none had been defined yet. This is where Al Sadd came into play. The offer arrived on Thursday night (June 20) and Valladolid felt that no one would pay the figures reached; It was an urgent sale and he allowed Gonzalo to board the plane.

The blanquivioleta club was open to everyone, in an operation that compensated them financially, but they did not close themselves to his playing in Spanish football either. That’s how money came into the game, which this time succumbed to the wits of a young player who would increase his salary fivefold.

the same as a year ago

Since arriving in Spain, Plata has had heads and interests in her environment and family. A year ago, the situation was settled, albeit with a different ending. El Pucela gave him an ultimatum: if he got on the plane to Qatar, Valladolid’s offer would be cancelled, because they knew that if that happened, he would not return. At that time, Plata and her brother Bryan wanted to go to Qatar, and it was mother Monica who tearfully begged her son to stay in LA LIGA.

During his stay in Valladolid, even more so after numerous indisciplines and a serious car accident that he hid, Real Valladolid gave him psychologists, personal trainers and gave him immense love to try to recover him as a footballer.

The plane, the emission and the environment

Now, during the movie weekend, Gonzalo is offered to take whoever he wants on his new adventure. Pucela was waiting for Plata’s decision, which was not clear before the trip. But as soon as he set foot in the Asian country, what happened there decided the operation.

Despite the fact that part of the family did not want it, from Ecuador they did not see it clearly, Gonzalo Plata eventually chose money over football progress. There was even a huge fuss with their representatives in Spain and Europe, who were not in Qatar, because the transfer was arranged by Plata and Bryan themselves. This may cause termination of the agency working with Plata.

All those who are trying hard for Plata to succeed in Spain are sad because they think that he will be playing in an irrelevant league and that this is a step backwards in his career. (D)