Santi Cazorla made his third league appearance for Villarreal and had the entire Spanish league purring.

The midfielder, who was released by Arsenal this summer when Arsene Wenger left and his contract expired, was not expected to be able to play football again, let alone football at the top level.

But Cazorla had other ideas and despite the constant pain he has suffered for the past two years, his determination to get back playing never waned.

Although Villarreal lost the game on Friday night, Cazorla’s involvement was still one of the main talking points.

“Cazorla’s return is one of the most exciting things ever for both the supporters and people behind the scenes at Villarreal. He’s one of the highest quality players – and the most significant – in our club’s history,” local journalist Javi Mata, who has been following Villarreal for 17 years, explained.

“His career as a professional was born and nurtured at Villarreal, and his style of play, and above all his character made him the most loved player by the fans in the stands from the very beginning.

“Because of that, his departure caused by economic problems at the club really hurt. When Cazorla left, Villarreal lost part of its personality, and notably, they got relegated the same year.

“He’s the head of the dressing room now, a motivation and an example for his teammates. If it all ends well and Cazorla is one of the best again, and a regular, it would be a joy for fans of the club.”

The 33-year-old has played 226 minutes out of a possible 270 this season so far. In his first game, against Real Sociedad, he averaged 73.1% pass accuracy. Against Sevilla in the next match, it was 81.8% and in the latest match against Girona 92.5%.

In those three matches, he also managed five shots, five tackles, four dribbles, and five key passes from a total 112 passes as his influence over games grows with every appearance.