Pau Torres (Villarreal, Castellón, 1997) could accumulate 5,500 minutes if Spain reaches the final of the Olympic Games and he disputes the 90 minutes. A figure that does not think twice because he is “strong” and enjoys “playing football.” He claims he is “living a dream.” It is your year. Winner of the Europa League with Villarreal and member of the Spanish team in the last European Championship and in Tokyo 2020.
A leading role that makes its name be on the list of great European teams, but he is seen at home, Villarreal, next season. Your “challenge” next season is leave your club “as high as possible” in a historic campaign in which they return to the 'Champions'.
Question: How much did you suffer with Argentina's 1-1 after which a goal left us out of the Olympic Games?
Answer: We all would have liked not to fit in and be calmerâ but they needed to turn their heads to try to continue in the competition and he was going to demand us. The goal came from a set piece, with many of them in our area. We were unlucky that they scored a goal for us, but I don't remember many more occasions of them, although they hung balls on us and so on. We knew how to solve it well and we were so lucky that the referee did not let them throw that corner with the time already fulfilled (laughs).
Q: Until that game, Spain had not conceded a goal. What can be learned from this situation?
A: I remember that in the middle part we talked about it. Argentina had taken us a lot of corners, several fouls hanging the ball.â € We knew that we had to try to minimize those set pieces against a team that did not reach you with such clarity with the game. For the following matches we must try to grant the minimum number of chances to set pieces and from there be just as well as we have been with the ball, which allows us to be attacked less by the opponent.
Q: With the ball Spain has been good, but it lacks aim; something that has already lived with the absolute. What did you learn from that situation that you can now use with the Olympian?
A: That if the work is good and the team generates chances, the goals fall under their own weight. We are generating many occasions. In training we have a good feeling with the finishing exercises. Giving confidence to our forwards and to the people who are close to the area is the best way for them to feel comfortable and that in the near future we will convert the occasions we have.
Q: Now it's the quarter-finals against the Ivory Coast. A very physical team and in harsh weather conditions that they now live, also against Argentina, after having played in Sapporo at 22 degrees Celsius. How do they deal with it?
R: The Sapporo stadium was appreciated, it allowed us to play with weather characteristics more similar to what we are used to, but we also knew where we were coming from. Sooner or later we were going to have the other day. It was done well by coming early and training in the afternoons, which is when we have to compete; in that aspect we are accustomed.
Regarding Côte d'Ivoire, we believe that they will be more dangerous than the previous ones in the transitions when we have the ball in their field because they have more vertical people who are playing in great teams in Europe. They deserve to be where they are. They will not be happy either that they have had to face Spain.
Q: You left the Olympic Village for this match, but you got a photo and the shirt of Pau Gasol. What does Pau Gasol mean to you?
R: He is one of the three greats of our sport, with Nadal and Fernando Alonso; It is the most we have in Spain. Getting to know him up close and having a lifelong memory of an idol who since childhood has screamed from the sofa with his performances is something unique that only the Olympic Games allow you to fulfill. Of him I remain with his closeness and that he was aware of how the situation of our competition was and he was very sure of how they were. Hopefully on Sunday we return to the Villa and we can meet again the two in the semifinals.
Q: I imagine that you follow the reports of the Olympic Games. I would like to ask you about the case of Simone Biles and her resignation to compete to take care of her mental health. How do you manage this pressure from elite sport?
R: I fully respect the decision that any athlete makes in these aspects, nobody knows what goes through other people's heads and surely they live a very difficult situation. For now I try to face each competition with maximum enthusiasm, I am living a dream. In that sense, I am very calm about everything that is talked about outside and I focus on my colleagues and my family.
Q: How are you feeling at these Olympics? It is giving a feeling of great security.
R: I'm feeling fine. I have the confidence of the whole group from day one and I am comfortable. Physically I am quite well despite coming from the Eurocup, I am still strong and the holidays will come.
P: Regarding fatigue. If he reaches the final of the Olympic Games playing everything would reach 5,500 minutes. Since he was in Second B he has played 17,091. Almost a third have been this season. How is this managed?
R: I have not stopped to think how many games played. I try to recover game by game and luckily the annoyances that appear can be solved. From there, you look for your best level and we try to keep playing because we enjoy playing football and that is what we settle for.
Q: After the Olympics, will you play the European Super Cup with Villarreal?
R: Yes. From the first moment I knew I was coming to the Games I got in touch with my club and we saw when the dates were. Villarreal travels to Belfast on the 10th and I already know the schedules that we will have after that supposed final, which we hope to be able to enjoy, and it gives me time for everything (laughs). I will be available for whatever the coach wants from me; I want to be there accompanying the team.
P: The last one. His name is on the agenda of many clubs in Europe. Do you see next season with the yellow Villarreal shirt?
R: Yes. It's something I mentioned. This year we have a very important challenge. It is the third time that the club plays the 'Champions' and there is a rather bitter memory of the last time it was played and it was the year of relegation. This year we hope to do a good job at the level of what the competition demands and leave the club as high as possible. That is my challenge for next season.