The Malaga names lining up against Villa tonight might be alien to most back home – but for Carlos Cuellar it promises to be like an old friends’ reunion.

Villa’s Peace Cup involvement has led Cuellar back to his native Spain for a second time this summer following an earlier vacation there.

The newly-bearded centre-back has already crossed the country visiting with friends and family and this evening’s game at La Roseleda against a side who finished eighth in La Liga last season gives him the opportunity to catch up with two more old acquaintances.

Cuellar has career crossed paths with Malaga boss Juan Ramon Muniz as team-mates at Second Division Numancia at the turn of the century – Cuellar a rookie defender on his way up while Muniz was at the last stop before retirement.

And the Villa defender counts Malaga winger Valmiro Lopes Rocha, aka Valdo, among his closest pals following their spell together in La Liga with Osasuna, the side he left to join Rangers.

“I’m really looking forward to it,” said Cuellar. “It’s great that we’re out in Spain – and this will be my second time this summer!

“I was in different parts of Spain to visit friends and family for my holiday and I went all over the place – Valencia, Madrid, Malaga and Pamplona.

“I know some of the people at Malaga so it’s going to be nice to come up against them. When I was younger I played with their gaffer in the second division at Nuancia. He’s a good guy so it will be nice to see him.

“I have already been speaking with Valdo about the game, he’s a good friend of mine. He played with me for Osasuna for three or four years.

Attention

“They are a good team. They are great in possession, they play quick football and have talented players who can hurt us.”

Cuellar has tended to keep a low profile since he moved south of the border from Rangers a year ago. However, the popular defender is ready for the inevitable extra attention his return home will bring.

“I’m the only Spanish player at the club,” he smiled. “So I expect the Spanish TV and newspapers may want to speak with me about how the life is in England and how we are looking to do this season in the Premier League.”

Villa fans will be dreaming of a dream date with the galacticos of Real Madrid in the final on August 2 – and Cuellar, who himself hails from the Spanish capital, is no different.

“Now they are getting all of this attention again because of the players they are bringing in,” he added.

“They have signed probably the best player from each of the English, French and Italian leagues – Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Kaka.

“They’re much stronger than last year – who wouldn’t want to play them in the final?”

But the 27-year-old remained perfectly diplomatic when asked which of the four Madrid sides – Real, Atletico, Getafe, Rayo Vallecano – he followed as a boy.

“All of them!” he said.

By Brendan McLoughlin in Malaga