After 15 years at RCD Espanyol, Javi Lopez (Osuna, 1986) undertook a journey of more than 16,000 kilometers to play for Adelaide United in Australia. There, on the other side of the world, the Andalusian has found a “spectacular” country in which he is “very happy”; although, he confesses, “I would have given anything to continue one more year at Espanyol.” “It's my home,” he adds after renewing for one more season with Adelaide, “a club full of wonderful people” with whom he hopes to continue “growing and improving.”
Why Australia?
Juande (Prados) had been to Perth and had spoken wonders about the club and the country. They told us so many good things that, when the option arose, we didn't even think about it. It was just what we were looking for. Australia is spectacular and, now that there is Covid, Adelaide is among the most livable cities in the world. When we arrived we had to quarantine for 14 days. You could only open the door to the room to get the food. If you opened it for more than 20 seconds, a security guard would come and tell you that, if you didn't close it, he would notify the police. And the window was closed, huh! It is that I could not even give you the air. It was quite a hard experience, but someone who wants something has a hard time.
Did you already know Adelaida?
Yes, because Isaías Sánchez, Miguel Palanca, Josep Gombau were here … As soon as the option arose, my wife began to investigate the city and I looked at the flights that had to be taken to get there. To get in we had some problems. Access was restricted by the pandemic and only allowed flights authorized by the government. It was an odyssey. The first flight we had was delayed for 18 days when we were already in Barcelona. We had a thousand suitcases and we didn't know what was going to happen. Capdevila and his wife welcomed us. I have no words to define how they behaved with us.
Australia is very far away, when do you notice the distance the most?
When I try to talk to the family. My day is his night and my night is his day. It is when you realize how far away you are.
Is life there different?
We live a normal life here. For example, before entering a restaurant you have to scan a QR code to register that you have been there. Nothing else out of the ordinary. I know what it is to live with Covid because I come from Spain, but when we arrived in Australia it disappeared. I tell my teammates that they cannot imagine how serious the situation was in Spain. They haven't been through that. Also, you look at people on the street and you see them happy. They enjoy life. They are very simple people. They go about their thing.
Would he have gone to Australia without the family?
It is something that I have not thought about because that possibility was not raised, but I think not. I wanted to live this experience as a family. We wanted a country where we could learn English. But learn it well. If he had had to come alone, he would still have said no and looked for something closer to home.
“I got up at dawn to watch practically all Espanyol matches”
Javi lopez
After 15 years at Espanyol, how strange has it been for you to wear another team's jersey?
It has been a very different year. It has been an incredible experience and I am very happy, but I will not deny that I have missed Espanyol in many moments. Espanyol is my club. It is my home. I got up at dawn to watch practically all the games. I have lived as the one who more the promotion to First and I would have given anything to be there one more year. I miss Espanyol a lot, but football took me to Australia and I am very happy. One thing does not remove the other.
Did you get up at dawn to see Espanyol?
Of course. I got up very early to watch a lot of games. I would say that I have seen 80% of Espanyol's games live this season. I am very happy for the teammates because last year was very difficult. They have managed to take the team where it deserves to be. You have to put in value what they have done because the Second Division is very complicated.
Leaving Espanyol was difficult.
It was the most difficult moment of my life. They gave me the gold badge, but leaving after a descent is not ideal. These things happen in the world of football. You only have to accept it. You cannot do otherwise.
Has the A-League surprised you?
The level of football in Australia has surprised me a lot. The A-League is packed with super competitive teams. They are influenced by Australian football, which is a very contact sport. Soccer is very physical, with back and forth matches and many occasions. The fan enjoys it. They are matches that break very soon.
And does the footballer enjoy that?
Ugh … The footballer only enjoys it when he wins. A game that ends 5-4 is a spectacle, but if you lose it you will go pissed off. They are very intense matches. The A-League is a very nice league and very entertaining to play. You can beat anyone and anyone can beat you.
Everything is mounted around the fan.
Totally. Here, the one who enjoys football the most is the fan. The competition is organized to be a real show and the most important are them, the fans. Everything is focused so that match week is an authentic experience. They come to training sessions, they see the players up close … On match day you can have dinner in a corner or have a barbecue. There are also activities in the break.
In Spain, it seems that footballers live on the fringes of society. Why?
In Spain, society has led us to protect ourselves. Social media is incendiary. They judge everything and subject footballers to constant public judgment. Athletes have to protect themselves. I think: 'What need do I have to expose myself for an opinion? I expose myself enough when I go out to play. ' I protect myself, but not only myself. Also my family. I don't have the need for anyone to judge me without knowing me. Players live in a bubble because of that.
Javi López, during an Adelaide United game
Adelaide United (Twitter)
In Australia everything is different.
Yes. Everything is different here. The culture is different. The show is sought. They fight for the fans to enjoy because they are the ones who maintain the industry. In the A-League, we players give interviews at game breaks. If they catch you, you have to talk. In Spain there is the flash interview, which is at the end of the game, but it is unthinkable to see a player speak at half-time. Here you have to do it because the fan needs it. You need to know how the player feels at half-time. And we accept it because we know that we live off the fan.
In his presentation they said that he would serve as an example for the youngest.
I have encountered a language barrier, but it is true that, since I arrived, the sports director has set me an example for the youngest. I try to make myself understood. I do not go around giving advice to those who do not ask me, but I have been through many situations during my career and, if I can help you at any time, I will be there to help.
It has been a season of ups and downs.
Here they celebrate winning the league, but the most important thing is the final of the 'play-off'. We started the season hesitant. Things didn't work out for us. When we played away from home we did not manage to make danger. Then we had a good run and we got second. We finished fifth and beat Brisbane in the quarterfinals, but we lost to Sydney in the semi-finals.
He has played as a right back, left back, pivot …
Yes, when I spoke with the sports director, we already commented that I could perform in various positions. I am at the coach's disposal for whatever you need. I told them that I have even played as a goalkeeper against Barça. That if they needed me there at any time they could count on me. I have had two injuries, but I am happy because they have always trusted me and have always counted on me when I was available.
And it has renewed for one more year. Happy?
Juande and I have renewed one more year. I am very happy, really. Adelaide United is a club full of wonderful people and I am looking forward to continuing to grow and improve together.
Are you following the national team from Australia?
Sure. I have Gerard Moreno's shirt and I wear it to watch the games. It is being complicated, because nobody knows what line-up Luis Enrique is going to put in each game and he has us all in suspense. We need to know who is going to play, but we never know. If each of us made an alignment, I think no one would be right. But hey, Luis Enrique is a great coach and he knows what to do to win. What I did not like is that he did not bring Sergio Ramos. It bothers me because there are shapes and forms. It cannot be that the same thing always happens in Spain. You have to respect the legends. Ramos has given us a lot at the national level and what less than have his opinion. I would have liked the captain to be respected more. Which, at least, would have been a consensual decision.