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SANTI ANGER

Arsenal fans rue Santi Cazorla departure after seeing Spanish playmaker star for Villarreal against Sevilla

Cazorla, 33, left the Gunners on a free over the summer after Achilles problems caused his injury nightmare

SANTI CAZORLA has completed his first 90 minutes of competitive action since leaving Arsenal.

And it left Gunners fans ruing their club's decision to allow him a move to Villarreal on a free.

 Santi Cazorla looked back to his best with some mesmeric touches in Villarreal's 0-0 draw with Sevilla
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Santi Cazorla looked back to his best with some mesmeric touches in Villarreal's 0-0 draw with SevillaCredit: Getty

The Spanish midfielder, 33, played 180 times for Arsenal after signing from Malaga in 2012, twice winning the FA Cup.

But he did not play again after suffering a serious Achilles injury in October 2016 and the Gunners let him walk as his contract ran down.

Any Gunners fans watching his performance in the 0-0 draw with Sevilla on Sunday were probably ruing that decision.

It remains to be seen whether Cazorla can stay clear of injury problems.

Santi Cazorla was presented as a Villarreal player in an unusual way, appearing thanks to a magician's trick
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Santi Cazorla ends 636-day injury nightmare to play for Villarreal

But playing in Villarreal's second game of the Liga season, the playmaker looked a class act.

He was subbed off after 72 minutes of his side's 2-1 defeat to Sociedad in their curtain-raiser.

And Cazorla looked more than up to the task up against Sevilla, whose midfield included ex-Prem players Roque Mesa and Jesus Navas.

Fans will have their fingers crossed that the likeable star can more Achilles strife.

At one point Cazorla feared he would need to have his foot amputated and he had eight centimetres cut off the tendon following a string of operations.

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