Maffeo unveiled by Valencia and hits back at difficult-player tag

Valencia officially confirmed the arrival of Pablo Maffeo on Monday, though the full-back is far from a stranger at Mestalla: he already made his debut for the club against Celta after coming on from the bench, minutes he himself describes as a statement of intent. During his presentation, the Catalan defender didn't just talk football — he also took the opportunity to push back against the difficult-player label that has occasionally followed him throughout his career.

• Maffeo arrives on loan from Olympiacos, with a purchase option covering two additional seasons.
• The full-back has already debuted in the black-and-white shirt against Celta, coming off the bench.
• He defended his character, insisting his teammates are the ones qualified to judge who he really is.
• His daughter lives in Valencia, a decisive family factor in his decision.
• The player says he's comfortable with both a back-five and Corberan's four-man defensive system.

Maffeo defends his character amid questions over his temperament

Throughout his career, Maffeo has at times carried a reputation as a hot-headed player, something he openly acknowledged while rejecting the idea that it defines who he really is. The defender admitted to making mistakes in the past but insisted that any genuine assessment of his behavior should come from those who share the dressing room with him daily, rather than from outside opinions shaped by isolated incidents.

"To anyone who says I'm a difficult person, I'd say they don't know me. I've done things wrong in some cases, but the ones who really see how I am are my teammates," the defender said.

Why he chose Valencia over staying at Olympiacos

The player downplayed his brief spell in Greek football, where he didn't even complete a full season before the door opened for a move back to Spain. He explained that signing for Olympiacos had responded to a specific opportunity at the time, but that from his very first conversation with his agent, Valencia had always been his top priority, prompting him to push for the move to Mestalla as soon as possible.

Family ties and the pull of playing at Mestalla as a home player

Beyond the football side, Maffeo detailed the personal reasons behind his decision. Having his daughter living in Valencia is, in his own words, essential to his emotional stability, since being far from her makes it harder for him to feel mentally well. Added to that is the proximity to Barcelona, his hometown, an extra bonus for his life away from the pitch.

On the football front, the full-back admitted that experiencing Mestalla as a visiting player, feeling the crowd's energy behind a competitive home side, made him want to enjoy that same atmosphere while defending the home colors instead of suffering it from the away end.

Valencia's ambitions and Corberan's role this season

Asked about the club's targets for the campaign, Maffeo urged patience and gradual progress before talking about bigger ambitions, pointing out that the starting point has to be improving on last season's ninth-place finish rather than skipping steps. Still, he didn't hide that the dressing room dreams of one day competing for a European spot, though he preferred to keep the squad's specific internal goals private rather than turn them into public talking points.

On head coach Carlos Corberan, the defender highlighted his demanding standards and his ability to get the best out of his players, something he says he's already noticed in the short time he's worked under him. Maffeo said he feels at ease both in a back-five setup and in the four-man defense the coach has alternated between so far this season, giving him flexibility to adapt to different tactical schemes.