Adelaide United will be fighting for silverware on two fronts this season as they juggle both A-League Men and AFC Champions League Two commitments. One man who could be crucial to their hopes of success is Spanish playmaker Juan Muñiz, who spoke to aleagues.com.au ahead of the new campaign…
The football-crazed city of Gijón can be found in the rich, lush surrounds on Spain’s north-western coast.
The city in the region of Asturias is largely famous for three things: rolling green hills, ‘sidra natural’ (cider) and football – and when it comes to the latter, it has plenty of pedigree.
The two major clubs in Asturias, Sporting Gijón and Real Oviedo, have had some seriously talented players wear their famous jerseys over the years, including the likes of current PSG manager and former Barcelona star Luis Enrique, European Championship winner Santi Cazorla and, of course, former Melbourne City striker (and FIFA World Cup winner) David Villa, who played four games for City whilst on loan at the club in 2014.
“Yeah I remember that!” Muñiz laughs when the man known as ‘El Guaje’, Villa, is mentioned.
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SOUTH AFRICA – JULY 11: David Villa of Spain (L) and Juan Mata of Spain celebrating the victory with the trophy during the World Cup match between Holland v Spain on July 11, 2010 (Photo by Eric Verhoeven/Soccrates/Getty Images)
Like Villa, Muñiz was born and raised on the streets of Gijón and the diminutive playmaker is hoping to become the latest Spaniard to leave his mark on Australian football.
Arriving on a three-year deal from Malaysian side Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) ahead of the 2025/26 A-League Men season, it’s taken Muñiz a little while to acclimatise to life down under. However, he now feels ready to show the league what he can really do.
Melbourne City’s Spanish player David Villa (C) celebrates scoring his first goal in his first match for the team against Sydney FC in the A-League.
“The last season for me wasn’t easy because I came just like 10 days before the start of the league without the like proper pre-season,” Muñiz says as he sits down to chat with aleagues.com.au from Adelaide’s pre-season training camp in Perth.
“The rhythm of the league is quite high if you compare with like European leagues. The rhythm, a lot of transition and if you are not fit enough, even if you have a lot of quality, they won’t wait for you.
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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – DECEMBER 13: Juan Muñiz of Adelaide United in action during the round eight A-League Men match between Melbourne Victory and Adelaide United at AAMI Park on December 13, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)
“You need to play on the style of the league, then you can provide your quality. The first (thing) is to get fit and get used to the rhythm. It was tough for me the last season, the first two, three months until I get like used to the rhythm of the game, the league, and to get fit.
“I think the first months with my family, the schools, the house was a bit difficult. But this year I come in with a full pre-season so I think I’m more fit than the last year. I’m now fully focusing on what one player needs to be – just football training.
“I can take care of myself because I know my family is good. They are happy 100% They are in the school. My wife, she has her own routine, so I don’t need to think too much on if they are good, if they need something.
“Just that (now) I need to look after me and I think I’m much more ready than last season.”
ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA – DECEMBER 07: Juan Muniz of Adelaide United with his children during the round seven A-League Men match between Adelaide United and Brisbane Roar at Coopers Stadium, on December 07, 2025, in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Sarah Reed/Getty Images)
After spending the bulk of his career in Spain playing for the likes of his boyhood club Sporting Gijón, Gimnastic and Lugo, Muñiz opted to sample what life and football had to offer outside of the Iberian Peninsula.
Moves to Greek sides Volos and then Atromitos followed before the playmaker swapped Greece for Malaysia where he won a whopping seven trophies in three seasons with JDT.
However, when the opportunity to move to Adelaide United presented itself, he didn’t have to think too long about it, especially given the club’s history with Spanish players like Isaias and Javi Lopez, two players who have secured legendary status at the South Australian club.
Throw a phone call with 2026 Johnny Warren Medallist, FIFA World Cup winner and fellow Spaniard Juan Mata into the equation and Muñiz’s mind was quickly made up.
“Yes, with Mata, of course,” he laughs when asked if Mata sold Australian football to him.
“We spoke and he spoke to me about the beautiful life here, the beautiful competition.”
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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 21: Juan Mata of the Victory celebrates a goal during the round 22 A-League Men match between Melbourne Victory and Central Coast Mariners at AAMI Park on March 21, 2026 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)
For Muñiz, the chance to pick the brains of Mata was one thing. But to then play and test himself against his countryman in the A-Leagues, a man who he says he admired and looked up to whilst Mata was starring for Spanish giants Valencia in La Liga was something that will live long in the memory.
“When I was young, I always loved to see – I don’t know if you remember- this Valencia side when it was with David Silva.
“He was one of my biggest idols when I was young. This Valencia side that they played Villa in front, Mata on the side and (David) Silva on the other side. That was, I think, one of my favourite Saturday nights to watch when Valencia play.
“So I remember last year when I came and the first game we versed them (Melbourne Victory). I was speaking to him (Mata) and in my mind I was like a little kid!
“At that time (as a kid) I was like watching Silva but also him (Mata). He won everything. Then he moved to the Premier League and he was like a massive player.
“Then I have the chance to play against him in one of the biggest rivalries in Australia and it was a good moment. I think everybody knows, he is a great player. But he’s a great person. Great.”
Fit and keen to make an impact this coming season, Muñiz will be one of the elder statesmen within head coach Airton Andrioli’s side as they prepare for a double assault on both the 2026/27 A-League Men season and the ACL Two.
The Spaniard found the back of the net in their 2-0 opening Group Stage win over Hong Kong side Tai Po at Coopers Stadium, and he’s relishing the challenge of securing some Asian silverware for the Reds in a competition he knows well having featured in it three times previously.
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“I think for all the club, all the players that never played this competition, it’s a very beautiful competition.
“In our group we have this team from Hong Kong (Tai Po), I didn’t know them. But all the other two teams I know them, I played a few times against them and they are quite strong teams.
“BG Pathum is one of the biggest team in the Thai league and Lion City Sailors City is the best team in Singapore, they have a lot of budget. If you see the squad, they have players that they play in Europe, in Netherlands, in Germany.
“So it’s quite a good group to face them to see what we can do with these teams.
“It’s a very beautiful competition and we have, for me, a very good squad. We have a lot of different players, young players, that they can have a very good experience.
“They can improve in this competition. So we started well the last game at home, but it’s a long way to go through the the group stage but in the end, we are very excited with this competition.”
A proud Asturian, Muñiz admits it’s taken a little while for him to fully embrace the Australian lifestyle compared to that of his native Spain.
However, now fully fit and feeling the love in South Australia, the 34-year-old can’t wait to kick things off this coming season, although there are still a few quirks he admits he can’t quite get his head around.
“In terms of the like timing, I mean like dinner, lunch, and everything, I become more like Aussie boy,” Muñiz laughs.
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SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 20: Juan Muñiz of Adelaide United celebrates a goal during the round 22 A-League Men match between Western Sydney Wanderers and Adelaide United at CommBank Stadium, on March 20, 2026, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)
“Because I used to have a dinner when I was in Spain at around 8:30, 9, 9:30 with all my family, and then I came here and the boys they start to have dinner at 6, 6:30. So then I start to eat with them.
“Also, when we have the trips with the team, we have this schedule for dinner, for lunch. So I get used to it.
“In Australia it’s quite easy to have like the same, let’s say Mediterranean lifestyle like in Spain.
“But then, yeah, last year it was for me a bit of surprise that, for example, on the weekends the supermarkets they close at five, or the restaurants they close at five as well.
“So you need to, I don’t know, get used to these times but you can have like a Spanish style of life!”
So could we maybe see more Spanish stars making their way to South Australia in the future? Well, Muñiz certainly knows a few of them, and we’re talking big names as well.
A member of the Spain U19 side that won the UEFA European Championships in 2011, Muñiz played alongside the likes of six-time Champions League winner and Real Madrid great Dani Carvajal as well as European champion Alvaro Morata, a man he now considers a good friend.
LONDON, ENGLAND – JUNE 1: Dani Carvajal of Real Madrid celebrates with the trophy at the winner ceremony after the UEFA Champions League 2023/24 final match between Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid CF at Wembley Stadium on June 1, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Jügen Fromme – firo sportphoto/Getty Images)
BERLIN, GERMANY – JULY 14: Alvaro Morata of Spain holds aloft the UEFA EURO 2024 trophy during the UEFA EURO 2024 final match between Spain and England at Olympiastadion on July 14, 2024 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Crystal Pix/MB Media/Getty Images)
Whilst it was no more than a friendly chat between mates, aleagues.com.au understands Muñiz tried to lure Morata down under before he eventually signed for Spanish side Leganés.
The midfielder was then asked if he could play the role of fixer and persuade current free agent Carvajal to make the move to Coopers Stadium. His answer was delivered with a trademark grin on his face…
“Maybe!”
Adelaide United kick off their 2026/27 Isuzu UTE A-League campaign in Matchweek 2 of the new season when they travel to Allianz Stadium to face Sydney FC.
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