Paula Fernández, the 'calm' of Rayo: “We will achieve permanence”

Nobody scans the horizon around Vallecas like she does. Technical, observant, calm, with vision of game and arrival. Paula Fernandez (Sant Fruitos de Bages, Barcelona, ​​07/01/1999) She is a soccer player who does not burn the ball on her feet and who knows how to make the games play what she wants. And from time to time, leave a great goal etched on the retina of the fans … The Catalan midfielder attends to ACE in the preview of the Rayo clash against Espanyol (Saturday, 11:00, Come on), victim of one of his shoes in the first round and direct rival for salvation.

With only three points of advantage over relegation and after five games without winning, the need is pressing in what is the second season of Paula Fernández in the franjirrojo team: “The family atmosphere in the dressing room is what adds up the most.” The coronavirus pandemic cut its first campaign, but, after a summer full of uncertainties, it stayed. “My renewal was announced from the first, but until the last moment it was not closed”, relates the Barcelona soccer player, who has experienced more than one adversity as a rayista this course.

What happens at the end of June remains to be seen. Right now, Paula Fernández, European under-17 and under-19 champion with the Spanish National Team, is only thinking about continuing to progress: “I am a young player who needs to continue taking minutes and experience in First and the Ray gives it to me. “

How is the team? They are five games without winning and the relegation zone touching the heels …

We are fine. We want to get three points, but the team is eager and sooner rather than later they will arrive. We are working for it and we have the confidence. In the Valencia game they escaped us, but we did a very good first half. It could not be, but we are on the right track.

As you say, they ended up losing a three-goal lead against Valencia, hard to digest?

We were winning 3-0 and in the end between some circumstances and others, injuries, arbitration decisions that did not fall on our side in this case, such as the doubtful penalty … A 3-0 is difficult to tie you but we have to stay with the dynamics of the first part and continue with it.

It is time to play against Espanyol, a direct rival for salvation. Is it a final?

Since the second round began, everything is final. There are three points and this weekend, against a direct rival, we have to go to win and get the three points to be able to settle down a bit and try to save the category as soon as possible.

And after Sevilla, a kind of Tourmalet arrives: Atlético, Real Madrid, Real Sociedad … Do you think about it?

We compete against all teams. For example, we lost against Deportivo there, but we drew against Levante. Each game is a world and three points are played that we will go for them to achieve permanence.

Is the Ray saved?

We work for it and if we continue like this, we will achieve permanence.

It is his second season as a franjirroja. The first was cut by the pandemic and, despite being a newcomer, its renewal was one of the first to be announced … What do you like the most about Rayo or what made you stay?

My renewal was announced from the first, but until the last moment it was not closed due to everything that happened in summer. Rayo is a very humble team, which helps you take minutes and continue to grow. I am a young player who needs to keep getting minutes and experience in First Division and Rayo gives it to me. The family atmosphere in the dressing room is what adds up the most.

It has not been an easy season, to the specific circumstances of the pandemic we must add a late preseason, postponed matches, the conditions on the move … How do you overcome so much adversity?

In summer there was a lot of uncertainty. Personally, I did not know if there was going to be a team or if there was not going to be a team. We did not have news, we did not know anything, but in the end they did work to be able to do a project. This year it was possible to move forward, but as it is being seen there are many things … It is what there is, what it touches. We as a team are united and we try to make sure that this hurts us as little as possible and to focus on football. Individually, with the support of the team and the family, everything passes.

Besides salvation, is the future of the team at stake?

I could not say, seeing what is happening in First. In Second, there would be less budget … I hope not because it is a historic women's football club, it has won important titles and regardless of whether or not it remains in First, it should continue to bet on women's football.

Despite being young, you already have a lot of experience in the First Division, have you felt the 'boom' of women's football from within?

Very big steps are being taken. The Spanish team is also growing a lot and I think we are on the right track, although there is a lot to go. If the professional league is made next year, everything improves and there will continue to be a big change. I am young, I do not know how they lived it ten years ago, but the growth is being great and fast.

Has the arrival of Real Madrid been one more step along the way?

Yes. It is good that there are teams that bet. That they got in and did not bet was not going to benefit women's football. But they are betting and doing a good job and that benefits women's football.

You have been the European U-17 and U-19 champion, do you see your debut with the Absolute possible in the future?

Every player wants to debut in the Senior National Team, but I'm still young and I have room for improvement. If it arrives, it will arrive with daily work and it will be a reward to all the years worked and to the team …