The Legacy Continues: Daniel Ayora, Grandson of Salvador Mut, Fulfilling Their Dream at Levante UD

Daniel Ayora is living his dream and that of his grandfather, Salvador Mut, in his new role as the goalkeeping coach at Levante UD. The Ciutat de València witnessed a heartfelt conversation between the two, where Daniel received valuable advice from his grandfather in an emotional cross-generational encounter that reflects the passion and devotion to Levante.

The story of Salvador Mut and Daniel Ayora mirrors that of many Levante fans. The common thread is the Granota sentiment, a sentiment that Mut began to experience firsthand in the late '60s when Levante UD paid nearly half a million pesetas to secure his services. The goalkeeper, with a rich history in La Liga, decided to change the course of his career to return to his native Valencia. He did so to defend the Granota colors and played a significant role in the history of Levante UD: Mut guarded the goal at Mestalla during the transition from Vallejo to the current Ciutat de València, participated in the inauguration of the stadium, and was part of the squad that achieved promotion to the Second Division in the 1972/1973 season. During his time at the club, he showed unwavering loyalty to the blue and garnet colors and hung up his boots after concluding his period as Levante's goalkeeper. The club, aware of what Salvador Mut represented both on and off the field, didn't let him go and appointed him as the second coach of Levante UD and later as a delegate.

This intense period at Orriols left a lasting impression on Salvador Mut, who proudly boasts of his Levante past wherever he goes. And precisely, that Granota pride was what he tried to instill in his subsequent generations, including Daniel Ayora, his grandson. Daniel joined Levante UD in 2016 to be part of the youth academy staff and progressed through different categories until reaching the reserve team. After being part of some of the successes of various youth teams and contributing to the development of goalkeepers trained in the academy, the goalkeeping coach made the leap to the first team at the end of February last year. An achievement that grandfather and grandson experience with excitement and enthusiasm. "When I called my grandfather to tell him that I had the opportunity to be in the first team, I didn't call my grandfather; I called my father – his father passed away when Daniel was little. It's very emotional to be able to tell him that I'm finally in the first team. For him, it's a reward. I was really looking forward to this moment so that he could see me in a warm-up, even at Ciutat de València, which he inaugurated, and where we've come so many times," Daniel explains with emotion. "This is like a dream; it has been the joy of the family," confesses Mut.

And precisely, the Ciutat de València was the setting for the encounter between the two in a unique moment of connection between Levante's past and present, where Salvador Mut recounted his experiences and gave advice to his grandson for this new stage: "May you succeed, be a good person, and never forget family." Daniel listened attentively to his grandfather's words in a conversation that captured the essence of football and family.

You can watch this insightful conversation between grandfather and grandson below.