Anaitz Arbilla (Pamplona, 1987) is one of the players in the current Eibar squad who has been with the club the longest and is looking forward to everything returning to normal as soon as possible. He is in his fifth season and sometimes he even has to wear the captain's armband. In recent seasons he has suffered with injuries, but now he seems fully recovered and if he is available he is a fixed for Jose Luis Mendilibar.
What balance do you make of this league start?
Pretty positive. At the beginning of the first days it was difficult for us. We saw that it could be a long and suffering year. We could not play the game of previous years, it was difficult for us to score goals and keep a clean sheet. The victories in Valladolid and Seville strengthened us in believing that we are capable and capable of maintaining the category. The scoring figures are not being good, but it seems to me that the team is showing its face and getting to have better feelings. There are two readings because we are also one of those who received the fewest goals.
They were used to scoring a lot of points at home and not so many away and this season the trend has been reversed.
Yes, the truth is that it is difficult to understand. The teams that came here knew they were going to have a tough and difficult game with the intensity we scored. Playing without fans hurts us, I imagine like everyone else, because it is always a plus for the local team. We must try to cut the streak and hopefully that victory at home comes as soon as possible because we do believe that Ipurua is going to be fundamental for us.
Now they have to visit Betis. How do you see the game?
Matches against Betis have always been exciting. We have slightly different proposals. They try to get the ball played from behind and we push up to the maximum. They are having a very difficult time and the defeat the other day did them a lot of damage. We are going to try to make our game and give them the finishing touch, it is clear.
From now until the end of the year they must face a calendar loaded with seven games in just one month.
Years ago we had the Christmas breaks that always came in handy for a little disconnection. This year we are not going to have it and it will be all quite often with matches every three days. It will be hard because we are not used to it, but we will have to accept it and be as good as possible.
Before the loss of Cote he has been playing as a left back and already knows all the demarcations of the rear. Where are you most comfortable?
Everyone who knows me is used to seeing me participate, when it's my turn, in various different positions. Physically I am feeling good, I am comfortable. After the last little problem that I had on my foot, little by little I have been picking up the tone and strength. The injuries are already forgotten and I am accumulating minutes. Sportingly speaking, it is not a new position for me and for one to be able to do well in terms of offense and defense, the team also has to be, and I think it is giving the level. I am happy in both ways.
He is in his fifth season at Eibar. What are the differences compared to previous years?
I see the team very excited. Last year was difficult because after having lived confinement and having locked ourselves at home with quite negative feelings, we thought that it would be very difficult for us to go back and start again. A little limping I think the team started to train well and we got the season going. This year there are younger people. They have brought that joy, the two Andalusians do their bit and are very salty. Veterans already know how this works and we try to get the new ones to pick up on the philosophy and the way of understanding the football of the coach as soon as possible.
He is 33 years old, his contract ends in June and in his last renewal he said that he would like to end his sports career as a gunsmith. Has there been any contact to extend your relationship?
I cannot complain at all. I am happy and Eibar has given me everything. I would say that the last five years have been spectacular in terms of sports, family, closeness and everything I have known. I am delighted where I am. I am not going to talk about renewal because we have not talked about it. I'm not focused on that yet, there is still like a world ahead for this season to end. The only thing I can say is that I am super grateful to everyone and that is what I value the most. I have felt very loved both inside and outside. I would like to end here and it is true that with 32 years it seems like it is your last renovation and now again I have planted myself in a similar situation. We'll see how it all comes out, but looking at how I am physically right now I don't think I'm at the end of my career. I think in the short term and what my body asks of me is to continue competing in the same way. Hopefully we can continue together in the First Division because the group is spectacular. It seems that this year there will be a lot of office work (laughs).
Before the competition resumed they publicly expressed their doubts about it. How much is this situation affecting them?
Seeing how the world is, it is normal that we were afraid to return. To football or any kind of job. It is true that in ours there is a lot of contact. We knew that to avoid infections we had to avoid it and we were going to have it every day in training and then every three days with different rivals. There was risk and it continues to be because we are seeing it with the players who leave with their national teams. It is a world of uncertainty. We have to accept it, there is no other choice, and at this moment try to take care of ourselves and protect ourselves as much as possible and be aware of everything that we are playing for.
Only professional competitions are being played. Do you think the essence of the sport is being lost?
Totally. What I think we are doing is trying not to lose this, financially above all. We are playing for that. The essence of football is that the stadiums are full and that people enjoy the previews. There are many circumstances in sport that are created by the fans and at this moment we are not seeing them. They are very cold matches, we didn't find anything and in the end you have to motivate yourself to believe that we are playing a competition as important as LaLiga. Honestly, it is a chore and it is very sad and has lost a lot. Before the end of the year, the first thing I would like to see is that the fans return to the stadium and we can have a little more closeness and relive that feeling and hope of Ipurua.