Roca was one of Orta’s signings when Leeds brought him last year and he struggled as the Whites got relegated from the Premier League.
The midfielder joined Real Betis on loan in the summer, while a few months earlier Orta was shown the door by Leeds.
The Spaniard has been blamed for Leeds’ poor recruitment over the last few transfer windows but Roca still has a special appreciation for his compatriot who became the Sevilla sporting director in the summer.
He admitted that he had not spoken to Orta for a while but stressed that he will remain grateful that the former Leeds sporting director showed trust in him during a difficult time in his career.
The Leeds loanee stressed that Orta remains a spectacular sporting director despite how it ended for him at Elland Road.
Roca told Spanish daily Marca: “Yes, I haven’t spoken to him for a while but when we came, we were talking.
“I have a very, very special appreciation for Victor.
“In the end, he trusted me in a moment that was a little complicated.
“I hadn’t played much for two years and he opened the doors for me.
“He trusted me a lot and I have a very, very good personal relationship with him.
“I think he is a spectacular sporting director.
“On a personal level, he already knows me what I think of him, I love him very much.
“He is a person I respect a lot.”
Orta has been trying to reestablish his credentials in Spain after he replaced Monchi as Sevilla’s sporting director.
