Casillas: “Once this happens, we will see what we can aspire to and what we cannot”

Iker Casillas, Real Madrid exporter, expressed this Friday in a conversation with center Pau Gasol that “Now there are much more important things than the presidency of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF)“to which he is a candidate, and pointed out that once” this time “of pandemic passes for the covid-19, he will see what happens and what he can” aspire to and what not “.

“I showed up more than three and a half months ago, four months ago. Things are a little stopped right now. You can't do much more. This has been a setback for everyone, not just for me, and we have to adapt. But right now capturing possible votes, being able to go talk to someone, move, is impossible. Right now there are much more important things than the RFEF presidency. We must focus on people being well, we are all well and once this time has passed see where we are, what happens and what we can aspire to and what not“he said during a meeting on 'Instagram Live' with Gasol.

The exguardameta, at the same time, watches with caution the return of the competitions. “I am convinced that if the next steps are to be taken when starting a championship, it is because they have that certainty and that certainty that things will go well for everyone., in this case the players. “

“I understand that this does not stop, that all people have to continue their work and continue with precautions. In football I don't know if you can keep those two meters that you ask for, that contact … It is complex. I see it a bit difficult, but I hope I'm wrong and things go well, “he said.

“Basketball and soccer also require not only play, but travel. He is no longer just the player, but his interaction with his families and with the people around him so that these matches are played. We all want football, sport, to resume, but it must be done with the maximum possible guarantees, safely and responsibly. Shooting forward and then backwards would be very hard, “Pau Gasol intervened.

Champions of all, both are part of the most impressive history of the Spanish basketball and soccer teams, respectively, that unleashed a fantastic era of sports in the country at a European and global level.

“When you were world champions, you raised the bar for soccer players so much that we were a little envious of giving that joy to many people. It has been a few years that we hope they will return soon. They have been magnificent years. That we have enjoyed Spanish sports so much is outrageous, “explained Iker Casillas.

“When Rafa (Nadal) has won, when my brother (Marc) has become one of the best players in the world, for me that is a motivation. It inspires me. You have to use that gasoline to raise the bar, to demand of yourself and in the end there are successes that we are all proud of, “said Pau.

“There was a moment in 2006, when we won that World Cup in Japan, that the press wanted to slightly misrepresent … In the end, we all played with the same shirt, the one of our selection. And their successes are our successes and our successes are their successes. I was very happy when that golden moment of Spanish football was lived. It was wonderful. I saw a lot of similarities in that feeling of team, family and unity, “continued the NBA center.

“IT WILL BE HARD TO FIND A SPORTSMAN WHO GATHERS EVERYTHING THAT NADAL HAS”

They also share the admiration for the tennis player Rafa Nadal. “It is a monster. He is someone who has spent so much time on the front line giving so many triumphs … I think it will be difficult to find an athlete who brings together everything he has“said Casillas, who also included Seve Ballesteros, Arantxa Sánchez Vicario and Miguel Induráin in the equation on the best Spanish athletes.

“I share your admiration for Rafa. He has enormous merit. It has been to the first level. One of the most important things is that resilience that he has“Pau Gasol added. The center continues to recover from his injury.” I follow my routine, focusing on day to day. My physio, my recuperator, they send me the exercises that I have to do. And I'm doing better. This situation has also slowed me down a bit, but it also gives me more time to recover. I am in a situation that I can continue to work and progress. I'm fine. The bad thing is that I am far from my family. My goal was to make it to the Olympics this summer and by canceling and postponing them due to the pandemic, plans change“said Gasol, who, if he were a footballer, according to Casillas, would be” a Guti “, with” good vision for everything “.

“I used to play soccer when I was little, in the center of the field. He didn't have to use that much speed and he could deliver game. He had good game vision and touch. And more or less defended me“The NBA champion explained. As a child he also went to Espanyol games.”My paternal grandfather and my father were members of Espanyol and when they were little they took us to Sarriá. I have gone to see several games there. But when I signed for Barcelona at the age of 16 and started to see the size of a club, I already opted for Barcelona. But I still have some sympathy and support for Espanyol, because there is an important family bond, “he recalled when asked by Casillas.

“IT IS NECESSARY TO STRENGTHEN THE HEART CONTROLS”

A myocardial infarction in May 2019 removed Iker Casillas from the competition. The goalkeeper insisted on the importance of controls throughout the season. “Before starting the preseason, we have to do a cardiac stress test to see how our heart is doing“Gasol reviewed.

“They (the footballers) do it to us at the beginning of the season and then they kind of let the time run a little and it is rare that they do another check, even if it is not past the winter market. Now, the doctor (from Porto) has told me that they are going to be more careful to do these controls. I believe that it should be done and that control of all athletes should be taken. At the end of the day, during a season that lasts eleven months, there are many games, many trips, a lot of stress and that also affects the athlete. And you have to emphasize that control. Know how your main actors are, “he explained.

What was the most difficult moment of your career? Iker Casillas was later asked. “In 2002, which incidentally is 18 years since the conquest of the 'ninth' in Glasgow, just in those months before he had stopped playing. It had been two months without playing. We reached that final and unfortunately for a teammate I was lucky to play for a few minutes and from there I went to the World Cup in Japan and Korea, which I had the opportunity to play because Cañizares was injured. Those two months were moments of uncertainty, overwhelm, I was 20 years old … It made me grow a lot. And Iker came out almost different from the usual one and it helped me a lot, “he replied.

They also discussed the covid-19 pandemic. “A little scared like everyone else. A little nervous, because things are going better. Let's see if things are getting better little by little and we can be stronger and overcome all this that is happening to us now, “said Casillas, who pointed out:” He has caught us all in an unforeseen way, that no one could think that in in 2020 something like this was going to happen. “We are all in a situation of concern, uncertainty, nerves, wanting to have good news and be more confident of being able to return to a certain normality.“said Gasol, who” always “says” expect the unexpected “.” And look for ways to overcome it to make us stronger, “he added later.” Until definitive solutions are found, the subject of the vaccine, enough tests are done We have to be patient. We have no other choice, “he added.