Robert Sánchez: “The starting goalkeeper will be the one who trains best”

Robert Sánchez (23 years old, Cartagena) has an imposing plant. Almost two meters high and a physical marvel, according to the National Team technicians. The Brighton goalkeeper arrives ready to give De Gea and Unai a fight. They call him the 'Pantera de Cartagena' and his idol was always Iker Casillas.

Did you always play as a goalkeeper or did you start in another position?

I always played goalkeeper. I started at the age of four in the team that was behind my house and I was there until I was nine and always, always, always, in every training session in every game, I was a goalkeeper.

And why did you hit the goal?

A little bit because of the laziness when I was little, but also because of my uncle Alberto, who was a goalkeeper, and he introduced me to the world of the goalkeeper and I tried there. And then I started to grow up and I started to like it more and more. It always attracted me more to save goals than to score them.

His uncle Alberto will hallucinate seeing him in the National Team …

Yes, he loves it. It is his dream, he sees all my matches in the Premier.

What team was he from when he was little?

From Madrid, by Casillas. When I grow up I don't follow football much anymore, I follow myself. More than Madrid was Iker.

Where was he the day Torres scored in the final of Euro 2008?

I don't even remember that of Iniesta, in the World Cup in South Africa, that I think I saw at home. I was about to go to England now. When I was little I watched football to see Iker Casillas and some great goalkeeper who played.

You are the great unknown of the National Team, what are your expectations?

I left when I was little and have played in lower leagues like Third or Second B in England and that's why people don't know me very much. But I have already played 28 games in the Premier League. I try to get them to know me more playing in the Premier and coming here and training hard so that Luis Enrique, apart from my matches in the Premier, sees that I make an effort and I deserve the opportunity to have minutes and who knows … Show him how I am and if I have the opportunity, seize it.

What kind of goalkeeper are you?

I try to make a different game. There are not many goalkeepers who have such an aggressive line, who are positioned to attack balls behind the defense. I have tried to raise my level on that and I have improved. That aspect impresses people because it is different and you don't see much in goalkeepers. I manage well with my feet and I try to teach that to show that I am better than others.

Do you feel that you are on an equal footing with De Gea and Unai Simón?

I always have confidence in myself. I train hard to have that opportunity because I see that if I have that opportunity, I will stay there.

There are already those who bet on you as a starter …

It is not known who is number one or who will be the starter. And with Luis Enrique he is the one who trains better. If you train and you deserve it, you play. If you are going to be lazy in training, you will most likely not play.

But of the three goalkeepers in Spain, you are the one who has best reached the final stretch of the season. That's how it is.

I wish! If I have the opportunity, I will take it. In the Premier I have concentrated a lot, game by game, and tried to do my best so that at this moment the coach says that he likes that type of game and that he believes I can help.

How have you seen the controversy that has arisen over the absence of Ramos and other Madridistas on the list?

He has summoned those who are fit. Some are injured and unfortunately cannot be. It is a pity that Sergio is not here, but I hope he feels proud of the team.

At Brighton he plays with two very tall centrals, here in the National Team they are not so powerful …

Yes, there I have Burn who is over six feet tall, Dunk who is ninety-odd and the other who is the same. I have a defense of giants that you do not see how they go and enter the centers, like trains.

Do you know that this National Team has the same average age, 26 years old, as the one that won in South Africa?

I did not know that information. That's a good sign, so we're going to give it a try.

What do you think about the 'Pantera de Cartagena'?

Well, it is a tribute to my land. I am the first in the history of Cartagena who has come to a European Championship with the National Team, I want to do well so that Cartagena and Murcia become bigger. When I was little they called me the cat, now the panther, not bad. I'm improving.

Are you planning to come to the Spanish League?

I have always liked the Premier. And I just made my debut at Brighton, I have a four-year contract …

What if Florentino calls him?

We will have to talk, right? What comes will come. Right now I'm concentrating on the Eurocup and then we'll see.

How will you receive De Gea? What a task for a goalkeeper to shoot a penalty, right?

De Gea is a strong and skilled goalkeeper and he will be fine. It was a tremendous situation, with ten penalties inside. It was bad luck.

What if one day it's your turn?

I would throw to bust it.