Prieto feels “sorry” for not convincing Aduriz to sign for the Real

Xabi
Tight regrets not being able to play with Aduriz at La Real and shows his happiness at having been able to celebrate the Cup title together with the team of which he was captain for six years. He also remembers the painful pinches with which he tried to deconcentrate Gabi
Milito in the corners and designs his ideal 'eleven' of the teammates with whom he played for 15 years in the first team txuri urdin. All this is done by the endearing extxuri urdin in the program “Discovering …”, prepared by the University of Deusto in Donostia.

In an extensive one-hour talk with the communicator and teacher Imanol
Artola, Tight say what Aritz
Aduriz, from San Sebastian and former Athletic player, he is “his friend” and “we have several projects together”. A decade ago, Real tried to sign him, but he opted for the neighboring club: “It was a shame not being able to convince him to sign for Real, but he didn't want me to sign for Athletic either,” says the eternal '10 '. “It would have been nice, we played some games with the Basque Country,” he adds.

More than saying, I would demonstrate it with facts: one can be happy and fulfill their dreams in the Real

Xabi He was never seduced by Athletic, among other things because he never felt the need to leave Real. On the contrary, with the decline in 2007, he decided to continue despite having other offers much more juicy economically to return the team of his loves to their natural habitat. That led him to be a 'one club man'. And he hopes to have created a school. He does not believe that it is necessary to convince or advise the most talented young homegrown players to stay at La Real: “More than saying, I would prove it with facts. You can be happy and fulfill your dreams at La Real ”. He did, although the coveted title, the Copa del Rey, came three years after retiring. In any case, remember that “to be a‘ one club man ’the club has to value you and love you.” He always earned it for three decades. What's more, it recognizes that Jokin
Aperibay He offered to continue in 2018 when he decided to retire, but '10' thought it was the right time to stop his watch as a professional footballer.

A great team with realists from different eras

A student urged Tight to design his “eleven” type among the players with whom he shared a dressing room during his 15 years in the first team. And this is the result: Risk, Rekarte, Ansotegi, Mikel
Gonzalez, Aranzabal; Xabi
Alonso, Aranburu; Candle, Oyarzabal, Griezmann; Y Agirretxe. Others like Kovacevic, From
Peter, Karpin, Savio, Bravo, Illarramendi, Januzaj….

Aranburu marked me for his way of doing things: in silence, with humility, without raising his voice

And among all of them “the one that marked me the most” was the one who gave him the captain's armband in 2012, Mikel
Aranburu. Prieto points out that the Azpeitiarra “marked me by his way of doing things: in silence, with humility, without raising his voice.” All of this served him as learning: “This is what I tried to do later, I tried to be an example without having to say things twice.”

You see yourself working on “something institutional”

Prieto hung up his boots In 2018 and in these three years, both the Real fans and those in charge of the club themselves are waiting for the most exemplary and beloved footballer of the new century to somehow join the txuri urdin institution. “I am clear that if I decide to join a club professionally, it would be the Real and I see myself more in something institutional than in something sports,” says the San Sebastian. He got all three technical titles, even the national one, although he acknowledges that “I don't see myself as a coach” and is heading more towards the offices after also earning a master's degree in sports management. Anoeta awaits you.

I am clear that if I decide to join a club professionally, it would be the Real and I see myself more in something institutional than in something sports

Milito's pinches

The funniest moment in the talk at Deusto's university was when he was asked who was the hardest defender to beat in his career. He cited Gabi
Milito, central Zaragoza and Barcelona, ​​but not because he was “the best or the most powerful.” He told an anecdote: “He would mark me in the corners and give me tremendous pinches on my arms and stomach. It was amazing, too bad there was no VAR at that time ”.

The emotional part came when they showed him the questions of his three most unconditional fans, his children Jon, Luca Y Leo. He could not hold back the tears when he heard how they questioned him about whether he considers himself a good father, if he would like them to play Real and what he likes about them.