Fran García, 21, arrived in Vallecas last September on loan from Real Madrid. The left back, trained at La Fábrica, faced great changes and also made his debut in Segunda. Far from wrinkling, it glowed. His injury at El Molinón left rayismo with his heart in a fist, but his tenacity earned him a recovery in record time. He returned to Logroñés. Fran dreams of ascending by wearing the Strip and being able to experience the Euro U21. Always, with your feet on the ground and work as a flag.
– How are you seeing the team in this first third league?
-Very well. We are missing that spark of luck, put one more march at home and go for the games from the beginning. I am calm because I think that the results will come. Time to time. I feel happy. I left home, from Real Madrid, and Rayo has welcomed me in a spectacular way.
“Why do you choose Lightning?”
—Cobeño got in touch with me and conveyed his desire to bet on me, a young boy with a career. It was a beautiful and ambitious project. That seemed important to me. Also, I've been here in Madrid for a long time. I threw everything. I have no doubt that I have chosen the ideal place to grow and improve.
“Did you know a partner?”
—To Isi, to play against Ponferradina and also to those of my fifth: Martín Pascual, Mario Hernández …
—Another of them, Óscar Trejo, has said of you that you are “out of the ordinary.”
“He's been a big brother and he's always been there when I need him.” I appreciate your words, see that I am doing well and that cannot change. You have to strive every day for what you want.
“How are you feeling after the injury?”
“The first days were pretty screwed up.” Just thinking that it could be truncated this year was hard. We did tests, we were patient and we saw that it was not so serious. I decided to do a conservative treatment, work out in the gym and strengthen my leg and it has gone well. Everyone has given me incredible support: the doctors, the retrainers …
“Tell me about the Ray of Iraola.”
—We all have very clear ideas, we know what we want to play and, in the long run, we will be at the top fighting for the goal.
“The promotion?”
-That's. If I could make a wish to 2021 I would not hesitate. I want to give back to the Lightning all that it is giving me.
– What do you think of what happened these days with the Feminine?
—It's a professional team like us and it should have that professional treatment. Therefore, we support your statement.
—He has made the jump to Second with a note: he was called up with the U21.
—That was one of my challenges because I had gone to all the lower categories. The demand in the Second Division is greater and there is a change in the rhythm of the game, but I have felt comfortable from the first day and that is reflected on the field.
– How were your first steps in football?
—I started with 9 or 10 years in my town. We had a good team, we competed at the school level. As he went up the categories he came to do tests. I arrived thinking that it would be like other times: I go, play and go home. Solari was there, before a tournament in Turin, and they picked me up for Cadet B. And, little by little, I climbed up to Castilla.
“I absorbed all the advice that Marcelo gave me; he was my idol “
—He debuted with the first team in the Cup! As was?
—Manolo Díaz, who at that time was one of the quarry directors, called me to tell me that he was called up and I was shocked. A friend I was with kept repeating to me: “Say something, come on, react …” (laughs). It was incredible. Not only to go but to be able to play the whole second half and feel so comfortable. I entered the hand of Solari and precisely he made me debut.
“Tell me about your admired Marcelo.”
—He always helped me and gave me advice when I went up to train with the first team. Everything that he, my idol, told me I absorbed like a sponge and applied. In the beginning, when I played winger, I would pay attention to Bale. Being so close to them was a dream.
—He has acted as a winger and a winger, where do you feel most comfortable?
“Sideways.” As a child I played extreme, but they delayed me due to my physical conditions. They saw that the field was short on me and they sent me back, so I would have more meters.
– Would you like to return to Real Madrid?
-Yes. It would be an incredible opportunity for me, but I know it's complicated. You have to keep working and improving.
“Is Koke Resurrection his family?”
“He's second cousin, so to speak.” When he came to do the tests as a child, I stayed at his grandparents' and his mother's house, many times, who would take me if I had any concentration or something. They have behaved very well with me.
– And how is football lived in times of COVID?
“It's all much colder, but you have to adapt.” My family is away and I can't see them. I was only able to do it one day when it came up because of the knee. It's complicated, but we all have to do things right to get back to normal as soon as possible.