Real Madrid completed the training of Jaume Grau, who at the conclusion of last season naturally assumed the end of his stage as a white player and now, just turned 23, continues his “progression” on loan from Atlético Osasuna in the CD Lugo.
The young Valencian footballer reviews in an interview with Efe his stage in the white team, where he coincided with coaches such as Zinedine Zidane, Solari or Raúl González and with colleagues such as the Brazilian Vinicius Júnior.
His career began with the team in his town, in Tabernes, in the southeast of the province of Valencia, then with the team in the capital, where he spent six years and, later, signed for Real Madrid, to which he belonged for five seasons, one of them loaned to the Navalcarnero.
He says that in the White House he lived “a unique experience” that “as time goes by” values ”more” if possible for everything that helped his training as a player, especially the “people” he had around him and from which he learned.
“Since youth I have had coaches who were players and know this world a lot. For example, in the last two years at Castilla Raúl (González Blanco) came to training, he was with us a lot, he even went to play if there were no people, and also Roberto Carlos “, remember.
“In the end you see yourself training with them, they help you, they explain things and you realize how lucky you have been to be there,” adds Grau, who was also at Zidane's command in some first-team training: “Listen to what that he can give you is the best, “he says.
For his words, Raúl, although he was not yet the branch's coach, marked him quite a lot. “I was left with some comments he made to me about things to improve. There were a couple of trainings in which he prepared an exercise with Solari to orient and outline me. It was amazing.” confess.
He was also amazed at the quality of Vinicius, with whom he shared a team in the subsidiary: “He came the last day before the game to train with us and then play. You saw that he had something different from everyone. When he caught the ball, things happened. It is amazing how he plays. I am very happy to have been able to play alongside him. “
Grau also made it to the first team. He did not debut in an official match, but at the hand of Solari he was called up for one of the Copa del Rey. “The experience was incredible. The previous concentration, when you go on the bus to the field, in the locker room when they give the lineup, is a unique experience that I will always remember,” he confesses.
In the dressing room, the stars were within his reach, they made him feel part of the constellation. “You do have the uncertainty of how they will be, but they are normal people, they treat you very well. From the outside, it may look like they are cracks, but then you are with them and the experience is very pleasant”, he assures.
And so came the end of his stage at Real Madrid, something that he took with integrity and ready to accept new challenges outside that centennial club.
“There comes a time when cycles are fulfilled and the time to leave was the same. You know that getting to the first team is very difficult because the best is in it. I am very happy to have trained there, to learn everything that comes with being at Real Madrid “he comments.
The now Lugo player admits that “it is not the most pleasant thing to leave a club” as the target, but he gives it normality: “I am proud to have been there and, since I had to leave, I did it with the hope of continuing to progress” .