❝ When I first scheduled this interview, I expected to meet a massive football star, distant and hidden behind a big pair of headphones. But what I found was someone who was more worried about how to properly handle his brother’s twins’ double stroller than to take a good picture for the interview. I noticed how thin he is, how delicate, so delicate… he has an extremely childish face that one could think doesn’t suit him considering his recent struggles in the spotlight and the fact that he’s a father of two. I also found interesting the way his eyes shone every time he talked about his family, his grandfather, Atleti, and how he mentioned Juan Mata every few minutes, as if the other man were somehow part of his family too… He comes across as a man who’s too sensible and mature for his own good, who admires the substitutes on the bench the most, those who restlessly work even though they know they won’t play. He seems to have learned more of his recent, hard struggles than of the days were it was all covered with roses for him. Well-spoken, calm, he perfectly understands everything that goes on around him. He keeps his feet on the ground and looks ahead to the future with the temple of someone who’s fought too many hard battles.