Risk: “I was not surprised to relieve Cuéllar, the competition is healthy”

Asier Risk (Deba, 37 years old) appears to be a normal guy. And it is. In short distances he wins in that closeness that camouflages him as a common civilian. Without modern hairstyles, tattoos or extravagant gestures, no one would say that Leganés' starting goalkeeper is a footballer. Not at least in that extremely modern version of the current player, the one who lives so aware of social networks and his image as of what happens on the field.

“I don't have social networks. He caught me late. They told me to open one, but I'm not attracted to anything. It's good to inform you, but I think the danger is spending too much time on it”, reveals without giving it much importance. That of intoning his words as if everything were too normal is another of his virtues. Only this one hides depth reflections under the patina of a lower than high tone. More bland than strident.

“I was not surprised to relieve Cuéllar. The competition is healthy”, he says, for example, about his assault on a position in which his partner seemed untouchable. No longer. The words of Risk they inject logic into this sequence for those who see it as more than a matter of skill. Play the best one, gallons aside. Easy. And now Riesgo is in a sweet state of form for which he is showered with compliments that he himself lowers with the same tone with which he previously played down his ownership. “Flattery weakens. Here you are a god if you stop, and if you fail, you get crushed”, he admits as if both critics and compliments belonged to a different dimension from his own. As if his extreme normality isolated him from the noise generated by that sport called soccer to which he has dedicated his life.

The last defeats will have felt especially bad …

Man, we've had two away games, especially Espanyol and Mallorca, which we knew would be tough. It's that they have been first and second all the time and we knew it would be difficult … If we won we had the illusion of fighting … well … they are difficult games. Matched. We lost and we have to recover, improve and reach the play-off as best as possible.

Can such an ambitious dressing room be re-deluded with the idea of ​​playing 'only' a play-off?

The goal is to climb. That is the first objective. The idea was to get us up, between the first two. But after 34 games we are where we are … many games have passed and we have not been able to get up there. It's reality. We are in the play-off. We must continue to grow as a team. Improve to have that play-off and a possible promotion. And then play a play-off… man, it's very nice. That makes us all excited.

Is the goal just the play-off or is it third place?

It is clear that the more games we win, the better. We will rise in confidence. But the objective is the play-off, make a good play-off and go up …

And if there was some audience it would be milk …

It would be very good … hopefully people can come in. I don't know how much… but something would be great. It's that it changes a lot … and I'm not telling you about a play-off, which are special games. But we've been playing without an audience all year … let's see if vaccination allows it …

You are a goalkeeper, not an epidemiologist, but what is your feeling?

I do not know! Is that if I tell you something … last year we thought there would be an audience and look … everything will depend on the vaccines I suppose … we don't know much, really …

Between playing without an audience and the VAR, this looks like another football …

But in the end you get used to it, you have no choice … you have to adapt to how this is. Soccer has changed … for better or for worse. It's almost always for the better, but you have to get used to it. The public? Well yes, you get used to it unconsciously. It is true that the public matters, but you get used to it. And the VAR, because it is something that will improve. Evolving. Hopefully criteria will be unified, because later there are things that are not understood. But with time it will improve.

What did you think of that reaction from José Gomes, the Almería coach?

It's a hot moment, you lose two points … you get hot … but it was not objective. When you pull feeling … you are not objective …

I don't see you cracking one day like this …

Or maybe yes … when you lose your nerves, it affects you like this … well, maybe you feel like it … but it has rarely happened to me. I am somewhat calmer …

Without an audience, how do new people find out what Leganés is?

Is not easy. We are in a bubble. We are not together in the locker room. And all together, I don't even tell you … Either there are the starters or there are the substitutes … even when training. And then the contact with the fans is minimal. Every now and then you run into someone from the training ground. In that sense it is a shame… Football is what surrounds teams. We play for them.

They say that Garitano is very heavy with the idea of ​​transmitting to them what Leganés is.

Yes. Him and the people who have been here the longest. They tell you what Leganés is and what it has cost to get to where it has arrived. The people who have lived it are the ones who transmit it.

You went up with the Real in 2010. Has the category changed a lot?

I don't know … I think Segunda has always been very complicated. It is competitive. Soccer is not played as much as in Primera. It is very rude.

Speaking of the years, you are already 37 and you can't tell …

I feel fine, yes … you never know how far you can go. When you are young you do not think that you will reach 37 years old and that I would enjoy it like that. It's that the older you get, the more you enjoy this. Perhaps because you realize that you have little left.

Were you surprised when you took over from Cuéllar?

Well … in football when you have been there for so long, at least I, who have been around a lot … not surprising … 27 players are competing in Leganés … there is a lot of rotation. We are all playing. Throughout the course we have had our moments. That is why there are so many. That there is healthy competition and each one gives the maximum.

Who and how told him: 'Asier, you play'?

The coach, it was Garitano who told me. I think it was a day or two before the game.

As is well…

Yes Yes. In a workout. Normally. That I got ready, that I was going to play … and that's it … it was short, let's go …

Were you surprised by the criticism that Cuéllar received just before the relay in goal?

Look, I don't know if he has been criticized a lot or a little. We stay on the sidelines. But we live with it, we know what it is … I don't think it affected him. When you have been around for many years … I am really surprised by those criticisms. Because he has done well, the truth

How did Cuéllar take over?

Ok, normal. We have been at this for a long time. We are both hyper competitive and we both want to play, but we do it normally. I have always tried to do my best and help. He, in this case, very good. Our relationship is good. In this sense he wants to play and we compete for that. But it is not easy. He took it well.

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But it has to be complicated … and that now in modern football goalkeepers rotate more …

I don't know … it is true that now perhaps there is a greater tendency for there to be more rotation … before it seemed impossible for the other to play. But I think this will change, there will be more movement. That the goalkeeper is not just one. In the case of Pichu and me, as we have been a long time, we have tried everything. It is not easy when you do not play, but you are aware that it is difficult to play.

And what about receiving compliments? Is it also complicated? Does it weaken?

That is so, that is reality. Flattery weakens. Our position has that. Many times you can be a god by stopping, but if you fail, you get crushed. We are very exposed to the good and the bad. We know what this is about … I at least relativize everything …

The data is not relativized: the three games with the most saves by a Leganés goalkeeper were his: Almería, Mallorca and Sabadell …

I don't know … it's that it's nothing to highlight … the ideal would be for the team to receive little. These games have been difficult, against good teams that come to you. The important thing is to defend well and that they do not generate you, rather than stop a lot.

Lately Leganés always receives a goal against …

But it does not worry. The important thing is to win. It is true that we would like to be a compact, serious, that defends well, that generates little … if you can not fit in, then ideal, but the important thing is to win. Make our party. There are quality people to generate opportunities. The important thing is to win.

And go up …

Obvious.

Would you like to stay?

Yeah right. I am very happy at Leganés. I have found myself very comfortable. Very easy. I would love to continue. It is a team that makes me feel comfortable. The family is happy.

Whatever category it is?

Yes Yes…

Have they already suggested something?

Nothing at all. With us, with the goalkeepers, you always wait for the end. More when you are celebrating your birthday. If they want to renew you, they tell you with everything resolved.

Was Martí important in his signing?

To my knowledge, he was not the one who promoted it. Come on, what he told me himself. They proposed it to him, he already knew me, he was a partner of mine and a coach … and he said yes …

Curious…

They called me a month after finishing the promotion play-off and it was clear to me. At the moment I am very happy.

Tell us about Diego Conde …

Diego has very good conditions. He is a professional. And he also really wants to learn. Being young, having conditions is fine, but you must be willing to learn and grow. It has. When you work and are persistent, opportunities come to you. It will come to him.

You are not much of social networks …

I do not have any. I got caught up in all that late. Have I ever been recommended … but I'm lazy …

Almost better …

But it is what it takes. It is what will be. It has a good function to inform you … but sometimes it makes you lose time … at least it seems to me …

Are you very aware of Eibar? Complex season …

They haven't been good all year, but now they may be at their worst. They have not won for a long time and now they are last … I hope they win soon, to gain confidence and get out of there. They don't have it easy. They are going to have to win quite a few games …

The opposite happens to the Real. Rise to win the Cup …

Of course … anyone who has been there as a child, like me, who was a youth squad since I was little, living something like that, winning a title, it's a dream … I had never experienced anything like that. The last Cup that the Real won, I was only 3 years old …

Not long ago it was said that he was able to return to La Real because of Moyá's problems … is that true?

No… there was no clear option. There was some contact, but not a clear option. One call and that's it. Nothing more.

Who are you going with today? Athletic or Barça?

Man … the truth is that I prefer Athletic to win. Even if he is from Real … but I prefer Athletic to win, since Barça already have many titles. Also, that I have acquaintances and friends in Athletic.