With just 23 years old, ‘The Kid’ has being a lot of seasons the flag of the club. He doesn’t get tired of that role, although sometimes it has made him grow too fast. What really get him tired is not achieving the aims at the end of each season, and it doesn’t matter how his red and white blood helps him to trust each summer in the new project of the team. He always said that his dream was to return Atletico to the place it always has been. And he thinks he is going the right way.

- Is the team short of players for Saturday?

We don’t have a good year between injuries and other thing. On Saturday, the team has 12 players. Luckily we are recovering Maxi, Petrov and Miguel (de las Cuevas). Even so, the ones we are here have to keep going.

-By the way, what is going on with Miguel? We thought he was going to reincorporate long time ago and he hasn’t.

After the injury he had a recovery slower than we thought and it’s not good to force. He should trust himself little by little and not to risk in a relapse. And apart from the injuries, two players are sent off, as against La Real… I have been in front of Eller’s foul and he didn’t do anything, and Peter Luccin said he didn’t talk with the referee and I believe it. What is true is that in a lot of matches we get distract of the most important things. We have to learn that the protest don’t take us anywhere, though sometimes you are mad and you don’t think about that.

- The team is going from more to less. In the last months the team is making things complicated.

The second round is being harder for us; we felt better away than at home and now is the other way around. There isn’t an explanation: maybe is because the squad is very short, for the excess of minutes, because many players aren’t used to play so many minutes... But at least we have the calmness of the classification, because we are three points away from the Champions.

- Yes, but also just one point to be out of the Eurocup.

If you see the calendar, there are a lot of direct matches between our rivals, like for example Zaragoza. It’s a consolation. Nobody thinks being out at the end, after being all year in Europe.

However, after the defeat in San Sebastian, there is an environment a little bit more negative. We showed a bad image and the attitude wasn’t very good also. Now we see everything dark, but we hope to win at home and recovery. With only one match, everything can change.

-So, Did you lack attitude at Anoeta Stadium?

The team was very concentrated and that goal at the beginning killed us. When we realized we didn’t hit three passes in a row, the break came and they were at their best moment. After that, when we were closer to tie, the sent off came and everything was over. I want to think it was an accident.

- But receiving a goal so soon and going behind has already happened to you many times.

Yes, due to the lack of concentration or cause of small details we have lost some points that if we would count with them we would be talking about something different. I hope that never happens again.

- Talking about Europe, Champions or UEFA? This year there is more illusion than never.

Having the Champions so close, people wants more than UEFA, but we have to be realistic: this club doesn’t play in Europe since a long time ago and getting into UEFA is always an important step that is going to value.

- You are a team too unpredictable. You never know how Atletico is going to play.

That’s right. We are failing where the great ones don’t fail. We have to notice that that’s the difference between the ones that are great nowadays and the ones that aspire to be. Anyways is a contradictory league, because other teams that seems very strong, unbeatable, as Valencia or Zaragoza are just three points away.

- But, also, your way of playing is not being good.

We are not making a good football; we have a lot of sick leaves. One day we win at any field and then surprises us the last one at home. It doesn’t matter how, right now if we haven’t done it well we won’t change it. That’s why, we have to achieve the results, classifying for Europe, and from that, think about many things.

- Do you think a classification for Champions, could be too much for Atletico?

Taking a look of the level… yes (in reference to the Manchester - Milan duel, played on Tuesday). I have always said the best thing is to make short steps, but secure.

- Which is your mirror? Could be Sevilla?

Of course. It is a club which trusts in its squad, achieves results, improves his team with two or three players… and suddenly you see that aspires to everything: wins UEFA, is in Champions, king’s Cup... It is a serious project in which without a doubt we have to watch.

- Your trajectory in this season is being also irregular.

This year the squad is so short that, sometimes, we have to do the work that doesn´t correspond to us. All of us we have to sacrifice a lot more for the team, at the end you notice and the personal output is the same than the one of the team. There’s nobody that has stood out above the others. With Maxi and Petrov it could have been different, but them not being with us we have played more as a wall and using the youth squad.

- The youth squad doesn’t give you players either. Since you came out, hardly have come other ones. What about that?

It isn’t just the youth squad; there are other youth several teams that aren’t working. We have to give more importance to the youth squad. Amorrortu has started a project and needs time and confidence. New players of the first level should be coming constantly to the first team to stay at the squad.

- Another teams with fewer budget use the youth squad for needs and achieve best results.

Exactly. Our players have the hope to come in, but for that they need to do it right at their teams: winning matches, titles, going to the National Team… That’s the way people talk about them and the trainers call them to play. If you don’t win at your team, it isn’t easy to rise.

- When you came, you assumed a great responsibility. Do you miss somebody else to share that responsibility?.

Little by little players come and share the responsibility. Atletico will be a great team when among his 22 players will be 10 of them important worldwide. This year we have brought ‘Kun’, Maniche, Costinha... we have to form a base that has quality and name and get complements with the filial players.

- And what do you need to keep adding quality in the squad?

We have to maintain the group, the coach and bring some reinforce that will increase the competition in the squad, but not changing eight players at the same time and the coach, as it had happened other times, because that would suppose starting from zero and It would be a great mistake.

- Are you afraid that the lack of continuity, which so many times you have complain, woul be respected this year.

I hope not. Miguel Ángel (Gil) and Enrique (Cerezo) have commented that this is a long term project, and that they are going to keep the squad and I trust that to be truth.

- On the other hand, how is your relation with the mass media? Are you tired of the ‘soap operas’ of each summer around your continuity that just pretend to sell covers?

It’s part of football and we have to assimilate it, understand and know what the play is about. And it doesn’t affect me at all. What you can’t do is give your opinion when you don’t have information. People have said that I have a house in Milan, London... and that is not truth. That bothers me, when people lie.

- How do you carry it when people criticize you for your play?

That’s normal and I see it well. Or they praise you or they criticize you. Each one does his job.


Photo: Jose Antonio Garcia Sirvent