Sandra Cloths (29 years old, Alicante) is the great wall of Barça, in which points to his fifth Zamora being the goalkeeper with the fewest goals in the league. The Spanish goalkeeper analyzes for AS the crossing with Real Madrid in the Super Cup, to which they arrive with extra motivation.
How is it?
Good. We have trained with very good feelings and we really want to play.
Is there more desire after the duel in the League was postponed?
Yes. On the one hand you arrive more rested, but we want to compete and play.
It’s a semi-final and against Real Madrid, is there double motivation?
We are very motivated. In addition, there is a title at stake. We know that it is a tournament in which there is no favorite and anything can happen. And that they will go strong for us.
The Super Cup was the only pending title the previous year…
Yes. This is extra motivation. Like every year, we like to mark ourselves as improving the results of the previous year. We know that it is difficult to achieve it, but we are working for it. And, in order to improve on last year, you have to win the Super Cup, which is the first title at stake.
Real Madrid has improved, does it give more respect?
We know that Madrid have a good team. The start of the season was not as good as perhaps expected. With the change of coach, things have improved and players have been brought back. We know that it is a great team and that it has great capabilities. Do not think that this is done and you have to work well.
They will face Madrid five times this season…
When everything was postponed due to the pandemic, something similar happened to us with Sevilla, we had several confrontations in a row with them. It can be a bit repetitive. It is also true that it is good to improve things game by game and you know your rival much better. It is a way of testing ourselves.
Sandra Cloths
One of the ‘Clásicos’ will be at the Camp Nou and there are no tickets left. Did you expect this response from the fans?
It has surprised us. It is always said that women’s football does not sell and we have managed to prove that this is not the case. We must thank the club for its commitment, how well the event has been organized and the great response from all the people. It will be a historic day. We must thank the club for its commitment, how well the event has been organized and the great response from all the people because in the end it is a very attractive match. We are very proud of all the fans that follow us and support us because a historic day is coming. It is difficult for there to be 60,000 people in each game, but at least these things happen on time. Because I think it’s very positive for women’s football.
Counteract this with the low visibility and lack of foresight that there has been in the Super Cup, where the venue was announced a week before this tournament. What do you think?
You are surprised and angry that a competition like this, with the best teams in Spain, is not well promoted. Especially when there are people asking to go. We are sorry in that sense. We would like it to be otherwise.
Is there fear because a defeat cannot be well digested among so many victories?
We are in a good moment and it can be thought that defeat is far from us. As soon as an athlete forgets that there may be a defeat, I think he is not mentally prepared to compete at a high level. Anything can happen in a game. It would be unexpected for us to lose, but it can happen. In the end, football is goals and if that day we are not successful, as happened in the Super Cup last year, you stay out. This team is mature and strong. And our mentality is to go for the victory, but if it doesn’t happen, we will come out stronger. Last year it happened: we lost the Super Cup and won the rest of the titles.
Have you noticed any media boost or greater interest from brands after being nominated for the Ballon d’Or and winning the Champions League?
I haven’t seen that much change. Alexia and Jenni imagine that they will have had a reinforcement in that sense.
Would you like to improve something compared to the previous year?
I would love to concede fewer goals than last season and help the team as much as possible. I would like to play more and better prepare myself for what is to come, which is going to be a very long year, with titles at stake with Barça and the national team. There are things that cannot be controlled. Last year I was left out of Zamora due to the issue of games played. The possibility of getting the Zamora when you have an injury is less and I could not opt for it. Hopefully it can happen this year.
There is a lot of rivalry between Real Madrid and Barça, but many players are teammates and friends in the National Team. Does everything stay in the field?
Yes. We know each other very well. In the field there are only rivals and then you can have friendship outside. When you compete, you only have your mind on football.
What do you think of Misa, whom UEFA has pointed out as one of the promises to follow in 2022?
She has grown a lot and is a goalkeeper who is being very decisive in the games. She is very safe and has given Real Madrid a lot of points. I think that she does point to being one of the future starters in the National Team. She is already with us and it is a luxury to train with her. We learn a lot from each other and it is very important to have that competition to have that security behind for the next titles.
What is Barça’s objective this season?
Try to improve on last season, winning all the first titles. And let’s hope we can do well in the European Championship, where we’ll try to go as far as possible.
What do you think of the little forecast in the Super Cup?
You are surprised and angry that a competition like this, with the best teams in Spain, is not well promoted. Especially when there are people asking to go. It’s pitiful.
Is there fear of a new disappointment in this tournament?
This team is mature and strong. If we lose, we will come out stronger. Last year it happened: we lost the Super Cup and won the rest of the titles.