Mbia enjoying life at Sevilla
Friday, March 20, 2015
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"I'm just enjoying the moment," Stéphane Mbia told UEFA.com after fine performances in both legs of Sevilla FC's 5-2 aggregate defeat of Liga rivals Villarreal CF.
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Watching Stéphane Mbia thrive once more for Sevilla FC in the UEFA Europa League, his loan move from Queens Park Rangers FC to the Hispalenses in summer 2013 looks ever more inspired.
With QPR keen to get a high-earner off the wage bill following relegation from the Premier League, midfielder Mbia traded west London for Andalusia and, particularly once coach Unai Emery settled on a 4-2-3-1 formation, the results have been spectacular. Shielding the defence with aplomb while impressing with his range of passing and aerial threat, the Cameroon international's influence grew as their 2013/14 UEFA Europa League campaign went on, culminating in goals in both legs of the nail-biting semi-final against Valencia CF – including the injury-time header at the Mestalla that sent his club to the final.
A starter as Emery's charges edged out SL Benfica in Turin, playing the full 120 minutes and converting his spot kick in Sevilla's shoot-out triumph, Mbia has continued where he left off – netting three times in eight UEFA Europa League outings in 2014/15. Scorer of his side's vital second in last week's 3-1 win at Villarreal CF, Mbia put in a fine shift in Thursday's 2-1 round of 16 second-leg victory, shielding the back line astutely alongside Daniel Carriço and very nearly notching with a trademark header deep into the second period.
"It was a really tough game tonight because Villarreal are a very good team," the 28-year-old told UEFA.com. "But we managed to score two good goals and tactically we did exactly what the coach asked of us."
Yet how long until wanderlust kicks in again for the former Stade Rennais FC and Olympique de Marseille player? Seen by fans of OM as too eager to link himself with a transfer away, even from the early stages of his three-year spell, he lasted just one season in the Premier League.
Now coming to the end of his 12-month deal with Sevilla, a signing made permanent last summer, he will certainly have no shortage of suitors. "I'm just enjoying the moment. I'm very happy here and it's a great place to live. But I'm a competitor and I want to wait until the end of the season – then we'll see."
