MADRID, 18 Jun. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Real Madrid player Athenea del Castillo acknowledged that “being among the 28 best in Spain is a dream”, although a bigger dream would be “being able to be in the European Championship”, which would be the first major international tournament for the 21-year-old attacker, that he would not say that Spain is among the “favorites” or the “candidates”, but that he does know that they will give “the best” of them.
“I believe that we are all going to do our best to be on that final list of 23, that we are doing good training and that we are going to make it very difficult for them, and with that I am going to stay, with the luck of being able to be here in the 28, which is already a dream, and being able to be in the European Championship, well, another dream,” Del Castillo told Europa Press.
The Cantabrian faces the call with the national team “with a lot of desire”. “I think that being among the 28 best in Spain that the coach has considered is a plus, it’s a joy, that’s all. That already gives you the energy for everything you need”, he commented.
It is not difficult for the attacker to change the mentality between the club and the national team. “I have teammates at the club who are here and it’s much easier. In the end, being here is a privilege and you get along quite well, we train very dynamically, with a lot of rhythm and in the end, I like being here”, explained the player from Real Madrid.
For the madridista, Jorge Vilda will have a difficult time choosing from among the 28 chosen those who will form the attack because “he has a little bit of everything”. “In the end, he is good because he depends on the game and depends on many circumstances. He will decide what he thinks best, that he will help the team to be able to compete,” he argued.
Facing the European Championship, the winger does not want to increase the pressure around Spain due to expectations. “I would not say that we are favorites or that we are candidates, I would simply say that the team is going to give the best of us, we are going to try to do a good job, which is what we want and show that we are a great team,” he assured.
“We are not talking about taking steps forward, far from it, we want to play a good role and give our best version. We are not going to set any goals for anyone, we just work and try to get the fans hooked from the beginning , who is with us, we have that first friendly match in Huelva and we have to try to get as many people as possible to come and help us and then at the beginning of this EURO they are super aware of us, that we are going to try to give our best version”, she added .
The one who will not be able to compete in the competition will be Jenni Hermoso, who has had to leave the concentration camp with a knee injury. “She is one of our captains, she is one of our joys in the locker room and I was screwed for her, because in the end she has fought a lot during all these years, she had another chance to be in a European Championship, and I send her a very strong hug and a speedy recovery,” he confessed.
The international also positively valued “the group” that has been formed within the locker room. “He is superhuman and superhumble and I think that the group that we have formed among all of us is what could define us the most,” she said, also highlighting the role of veteran players in helping the younger ones.
“All the elders have lived many moments here in the national team, both Irene (Paredes), Alexia (Putellas) and Jenni (Hermoso) and it is a privilege to be able to be with them here and learn from them, that they give us a lot of advice and everything so that in the future, if God willing, we are the ones who are in their place and can help the younger ones as they did with us,” she stressed.
Athenea del Castillo played the Arnold Cup with the national team, where, despite not initially being on the list, she ended up being named the best player of the tournament. “I had the opportunity that I wasn’t on that list, but I had a U-23 call that I was able to attend and then Jorge decided to call me because of Mariona (Caldentey)’s injury and I tried to help the team as much as I could and very well. very happy,” he said.
That performance gave the Cantabrian “a little bit of confidence”, although she admits that she has “always” had it from “the team’s coaching staff” and from all her teammates. “It helps me that if I’m not here in the senior I have a U-23 where I can keep learning and keep growing,” she said.
During the concentrations, Athenea del Castillo comments that she likes to do “the basics”. “I watch series or talk to a partner, with my family or make video calls. The basics, I’m not studying, I mean now that I’ve finished the exams, and now I don’t have much to do,” she warned.
“WE HOPE THAT IN A TIME IT WILL NOT BE NEW TO FILLING A STADIUM”
Athenea del Castillo was one of the players who played in the historic match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, which brought together more than 90,000 people, which she remembers in a special way despite the fact that the result was not favorable to her.
“We were lucky that the Camp Nou was opened, that so many people could come and yes we are a bit part of it. I think it was a good memory that I will never forget, playing in front of so many people, and we hope that this continues to grow and In a while it will not be a novelty that a stadium is filled to see women’s football,” he said.
Real Madrid player since the summer of 2021, she would like her team to also play at the Bernabéu “as a madridista” that she is. “But we have Di Stefano there, which is a great stadium and I like it too,” she said.
Looking ahead to next season, Real Madrid will have to start their season earlier than usual to play the previous rounds of European competition, which is not a problem for the Spaniard. “When I’m on vacation I get very overwhelmed because I need that football adrenaline,” he said with a laugh.
“I don’t care, I finish here and train or whatever it takes, that’s what I like. We are in the Champions League, in the previous one, we have to go through two phases and the team is going to give everything that depends on us to be in that hype and it is a dream to be able to dispute another Champions”, sentenced.