Alberto García lives in Barcelona, but spends many weeks in Madrid to act as a commentator on Movistar. He escapes to Vallecas when he can, alone or with his son Ander. There it is as if time had stopped, thanks to the affection of the people. The crew of him.
—How do you remember that last win against Real Madrid?
“It was a difficult year. That day we were able to give Vallecas a joy. Paco (Jémez) knew how to motivate us. I came from a negative moment, a long time without minutes and I took it up again with him. We played against a great, but we needed to win to stay alive and we competed from you to you. I remember the end and that shared joy. The team doesn’t keep it, it moves it. He goes to the neighborhood.
—Embarba scored and you kept a clean sheet…
—Javi Guerra also played a formidable match. The penalty is given to him and Embarba marks it. It was a credit to the coaching staff that players who weren’t having much participation came together in a match like this. Javi Guerra, Tito and I were moved. We knew that we would never live that again. That’s how it went. This is what you take from football…
“Has the Lightning changed much?”
—There are differences, but also similarities, such as the feeling of belonging and the commitment of the group. Iraola has a clear idea of the game and transmits it until he sees through. When he has the ball he is vertical, with short possessions and quick steals to attack again. Soccer players like Álvaro have made a huge leap. Vallecas has been lucky, he has been able to have fun with attractive teams.
“Iraola has a clear idea of the game and transmits it until you internalize it”
—El Rayo is immersed in a losing streak. Is the Cup taking its toll on you?
—The teams have potholes and it was something predictable. What was not normal were the previous results, everything turned out for them. You have to give value to what they are doing. It is a lot of emotional and competitive load. You can not put any ‘but’. Let’s not forget that he is a newly promoted.
—Can you beat Real Madrid?
—There are more chances that Madrid find themselves with an uncomfortable game now than when we beat them. Vallecas is different, football is breathed and its peculiarities are very good for Rayo, even more so for this one from Iraola.
—The coach bets on the rotations in the goal. Can that cause instability?
—Iraola already advocated for this last year and it didn’t go badly for him. In goal you need to have that confidence that you will have one more game despite what you do in this one. That does not imply that Andoni was a sanctioner and when he made a decision he had his reason. Luca and Dimitrievski are antagonistic, very different in what they contribute and in their characteristics.
“What is Lightning to you?”
It has taught me a lot personally and professionally. Being a captain you learn to manage things that you are more liberated from in other places. My children have seen me play there and I have had a very good relationship with the environment. When you arrive, you perceive that you have to be one more of that ship. I lived my end in the ideal club. The last time I went to Vallecas I took my son Ander, who wanted to return after the pandemic and we felt that we were still part of Rayo.
—Trejo has taken over from the captaincy.
—Míchel defined him in a formidable way because he is a silent leader. He is the ideal captain. This year he is not only performing on the field, but also off it, with the wear and tear he wears and what he absorbs. That is not taking its toll on you. You have to give him all the value in the world because he is the partner that anyone would like to have.
—Trejo launched an SOS on their networks for everything that is happening. How do you live it now?
-A little quieter (laughs). You see solvable things that get entrenched, on top of that you don’t have all your people pushing… that’s when Vallecas becomes unstoppable. What I perceived with that message is that if we don’t destroy ourselves, we are going to be much more competitive abroad. It is a clear, respectful message with the sole intention of helping to solve these problems.
‘You have a master’s degree in sports management. How do all these problems affect the image of a club?
—It affects and is not pleasant for anyone. We have come to talk more about his problems than about his good work. The player does not put all his focus on the match because many things happen around him, some before the match. You see problems that are solvable, that go through trying to get to know your environment… The footballer does not perceive so much difficulty to fix them and if it were done it would help a lot. It is not good for those who are part of the Ray, neither for those inside nor for those outside. What makes a club great is the social mass, the feelings… These differentiate football from other sectors.
– How is your day to day now?
—I joined Movistar as a commentator. I’m learning a lot. It has been a great opportunity in that harsh emptiness that appears in withdrawal, when you don’t know what will become of you. I am also linked to a training program for players, the ‘Global Players Program’ developed by LaLiga Business School.
“Trejo is the ideal captain and the partner that we would all want”
“Does the retreat give you vertigo?”
—I was able to get used to the idea because of the injury. It was the only good thing because I didn’t see my last match coming. There was practically no other training. Little is said about the fear it produces, about when to prepare… From the moment you start you should ask yourself where to go. Do not wait for the last day because it is late. When you’re a player and you finish your contract, you know how to look for a team, but when you retire you have to start from scratch, do a job interview… Things you’re not used to.
“What’s so special about Lightning?”
—There is no club that represents a neighborhood. The fans are different, they want you to be one more. There are no idols here, we are all in the same boat and that struck me.
“Do you see yourself there in the future?”
—My stage ended and my start was very good from all sides. When you join a project, from management or another angle, you want it to go in line with what you feel. I didn’t think about it then, and I don’t think about it now. The people inside, everyone, gave me my moment. There are those who would also have deserved it like Alicia or Tito. Now we have to give way to others…