Pape Gueye reflects on his adjustment to La Liga

The Senegalese midfielder admits he had a difficult start, marked in particular by an unusual run of red cards.

Having arrived in Spain in 2023, notably at Sevilla FC, Pape Gueye found the adjustment more difficult than expected. According to him, this situation can be partly explained by the difference between the French league he came from and La Liga, as well as his atypical physical build. At Villarreal since the summer of 2024, the Senegalese player feels he has improved his game, particularly technically, an essential aspect in a league renowned for its high standards on the ball

“At first it was a problem for me. I committed a lot of fouls in my first year. When I arrived at Sevilla, I picked up four red cards in six months, whereas at Marseille I’d only had one red card in four years. I wasn’t doing it on purpose, and at first the Spaniards told me it didn’t matter, but in the end they held it against me. It’s because they weren’t used to my build. I think that apart from Tchouameni, there aren’t many who are built like me. In Spain, I’m seen as a physical monster because I’m powerful, but I’ve improved a lot technically. Before going to Spain, I’d underestimated the league because I thought there were only four, five or six top-level teams. But when you look closely, Barça and Real struggle against teams like Osasuna because in this league, everyone starts from the goalkeeper. Which means it’s not easy.”