José Ángel Crespo enters the history of PAOK

When Jose Angel Crespo (Lora del Río, 1987) arrived at PAOK, the club's showcases only exhibited six titles. Six years later, there are 11 trophies that the Thessaloniki entity boasts. Wearing his shirt, which has been sporting black and white stripes since 1936, no footballer has won as much as Crespo, on whose record one Super League and four Cups since landing in Greece in the summer of 2016. “I have more photos with this trophy than with my wife,” the Andalusian joked after lifting his fourth Hellenic Cup in the last five years. “The Greeks were amused”, discovers in AS a “lucky” footballer who did not expect to find stability in Thessaloniki: “I was used to changing teams practically every year. It had become something common for me, so I did not expect to compete Five seasons at the same club and less in a country like Greece. At a sporting level, having continuity is important. “

The communion between José Ángel Crespo and PAOK became a synonym of success from the first moment. In his first season in Thessaloniki, the Spaniard lifted the club's first Cup in the last 14 years. “You could tell that the fans had not won for a long time, but we lived it normally,” recalls the Andalusian, who won the Cup again in 2018 and in 2019 made a double: “The club had not won the league for 34 years and, on top of that, we were undefeated. We also won the Cup and did double, which was something that had never been achieved. It was very nice. “In that historic 2018/19 season, Crespo shared battles with José Alberto Cañas:” We were always together and we joked a lot with the people of the club. We told them that we had to come to change history. They were angry, but part of it is true. It was a very tough psychological season. We had to be plugged in every game to not give anything away. Finishing the double was wonderful. “

Crespo, who also won a Copa del Rey and a Spanish Super Cup with Sevilla, has emerged as one of the great defenders of the Greek Super League and has lived with permanent siren songs from Spain. “Things have gone well and there have always been offers. I have thought about it, but I have continued in Greece and I do not regret all the wonderful things that are happening to me,” reveals the Andalusian, who was very close to landing at the Real Valladolid a couple of seasons ago: “It was very interesting. It's a historic team and I was in the First Division. It was a great offer, but PAOK closed in on the band. They asked for a big transfer and I couldn't get out. From that moment I know they won't accept any offer for me. It will be difficult for someone to reach what Valladolid offered. ” However, Crespo, who has one year left on his contract in Greece, is “proud” to belong to a club, PAOK, in which he is “very agust”: “I feel loved and we are winning titles. Everything is being very positive”.

In Greece, José Ángel Crespo has encountered a peculiar press – “sometimes, the Greek media are controlled by the clubs. If they need it, they will kill you. They can be terrible” – and one of the most particular hobbies of all the world. “When the field is full – in normal conditions, almost 30,000 spectators crowd the stands of the La Tumba stadium every 15 days – communication is very complicated. This season we have competed without them and I did not like them at all, they have shown that they are player number 12. I've missed them a lot because they make me more focused. You enter the field, you see it full of people, fireworks, flares … That makes you give your best“, analyzes Crespo, who has had to face several institutional crises this season:” I have experience and I have already gone through several of this type. The fans love the club, but sometimes they forget that there are external aspects that affect us. I felt bad that they were angry because many of us have done historic things at PAOK. I just asked them to rate the season when it was over and time ended up proving me right because we won the Cup “.

A cup that came with Paul Garcia (former player of Osasuna, Real Madrid or PAOK himself) on the bench. The Uruguayan caught the team at a bad time and led him to reap 23 victories, nine draws and 10 defeats, numbers that were insufficient to maintain his position. “He did not arrive in a suitable one, but he did not think about it and leaned his shoulder. It is to be appreciated. He worked until the end, won a title and proved to be prepared to continue directing in the elite”, discovers José Ángel Crespo, who saw no logic his departure: “In football, there are less and less fair things. Among the fans there was that rumor that the season had not been good and they opted for Lucescu to return, who made history here. If the substitute had not been him, the coach would not have been changed“And, of course, Crespo is delighted:” With Lucescu we had two spectacular years in which we won three titles. He left because the club did not manage the team as he wanted, so I hope that this time things will be done the way they have to. If not, we will drift again. “

“He had been continuously changing clubs and cities for seven years. When you settle in a place it becomes a bit strange, but it is appreciated“Values ​​a Crespo who has found in Greece a country very similar to Spain. There he enjoys family and football without taking his eyes off Sevilla FC, who had the detail of publicly congratulating him after becoming the player with the most titles in the history of PAOK. “It was very nice. I did something historic and they winked at me. I did not expect, really. I loved it because Sevilla is the club of my heart. I fulfilled the dream of playing and winning titles there “, he remembers excitedly.” TI have two girls and it is difficult to put football on television, but Sevilla games are sacred. There is no discussion there. When Sevilla plays, you see Sevilla“, adds Crespo, who barely watches football if one of the opponents is not the Nervión club:” The Champions League if that. I also don't watch the Greek league. I don't know who the right-back of PAS Lamia is. I focus on the forwards. I don't even know the rest. “