Former Manchester United defender Eric Bailly insists that it was ‘the right thing’ to leave Besiktas only a few months after leaving the Premier League giants for that ill-fated spell in Turkey.
Last month heralded the three-year anniversary of that Eric Bailly block. You know, the one which denied Aston Villa a last-gasp equaliser at Old Trafford on New Years’ Day, and moved Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side level with Liverpool at the top of the table.
Three years on, moments like that have been few and far between for the Ivory Coast international.
A relentless series of injuries have dogged Bailly’s recent career. His form on loan at Marseille was not impressive enough to earn him a permanent move to France and, after finally leaving Manchester United in September, he featured only eight times during a disastrous spell at Besiktas before seeing his contract torn up for the second time in the space of four months.
Horror move for former Manchester United man
“I had a minor injury,” Bailly sighs, explaining why he only managed a handful of appearances in Turkey. “We talked about this issue with the coach, and I made a decision.
“I had complicated moments at Besiktas. The right thing for me was to change clubs and look to the future.”
Bailly is now back at Villarreal, re-joining the club where he made his name prior to becoming the first signing of the Jose Mourinho era at Man United back in 2016. Things are not really going to plan for Bailly in Spain either. He scored a calamitous own goal against Barcelona and was part of the backline shredded by a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang-inspired Marseille side in a 4-0 Europa League last-16 first-leg defeat at his old stomping ground last week.
Back in Spain with a point to prove
Bailly, at least, is putting together a string of starts for the first time in recent memory. He has started seven of a possible 10 La Liga matches with Villarreal’s impressive domestic form putting an end to those relegation fears under Marcelino Garcia Toral.
With three wins in a row, a top-half finish is not out of the question either.