Florian Lejeune, perhaps more than anyone else in this high-flying Rayo Vallecano squad, is proof of Andoni Iraola’s ability to eke every ounce of potential out of the talent at his disposal.
The veteran centre-back joined last summer after suffering relegation with Deportivo Alaves. But anyone who says you can’t teach old dogs new tricks obviously hasn’t taken note of Lejeune’s unexpected purple patch in Vallecas.
From 2016/17 to 2021/22, Lejeune scored just four goals in all competitions across 123 games for Eibar, Newcastle United and Alaves. That is as many as he has to his name from just 21 games this season; Lejeune taking his tally to four in La Liga with a thumping header during Sunday’s 1-1 draw with a resurgent Sevilla outfit.
“We kept fighting, we wanted the three points. But we faced a very good team,” Lejeune said at full-time; Iraola keeping surprise packages Vallecano in contention for a European spot after rebuffing the advances of Leeds United (Union Rayo).
“We managed to draw, but the important thing is that we keep fighting. Things are going well for me. In the end, this goal means one more point (for Vallecano).”
Former Newcastle United man Florian Lejeune in the form of his life in La Liga
When Lejeune brought an end to an injury-hit spell at St James’ Park, before dropping out of La Liga with Alaves, the sort of late-career renaissance he is currently enjoying at Rayo Vallecano seemed unlikely in the extreme.
The one-time Manchester City man missed nearly 40 games due to a variety of fitness issues at Newcastle, after all; former Magpies boss Steve Bruce admitting that those ‘two knee injuries’ which blighted his time in England were a major factor in the club’s decision to part with a man they once paid £9 million for.
Now in the midst of a ‘magnificent season’ – both for Lejeune and Rayo Vallecano as a whole – the 31-year-old’s remarkable rebirth is perhaps Iraola’s greatest achievement yet. And that’s saying something.
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