What was it like living in India?
The coaching team, along with a lot of players, lived in apartments. Some locals shared the apartments. Javi Pinillos, my goalkeeping coach at Racing, was also present with me, and I was lucky to be with him at the same time. The distance seems bearable when you have people from your country living along with you. Javi was there to help me with whatever I needed in Bangalore. We stayed inside our house to watch matches or rest in our free time. Our schedule was very much the same that would have been in any other place.
We liked traveling in a Tuk-Tuk to the city center. We visited the shops, had coffee in the city center, eat in the restaurants, and went around the city he told.
What were the Indian players like?
The Indians are great players. They work very hard and are highly professional. They just want to improve their team. Sunil Chetri is an icon in India and has scored the most number of goals for the national team. Yet, he trains like an 18 year at the age of 35.
This kind of behavior from the national players is essential as it tells the youngsters the importance of sacrifice, hard work, and ambition. These three in the right amount can help you to achieve anything.
Chhetri is a player who is out to get goals. He is very quick and witty and knows the skill of making space behind the defense. Gurpreet Singh Sandhu is a goalkeeper who is in great shape. Udanata is one of the fastest players I have seen. They call the 23-year-old player the ‘Flash.’
They are standard off the pitch but work very hard on the pitch. Some guys have a good sense of humor. They are at a reasonable level and just keep on improving.
How did you communicate?
The communication was in English. Some were better at English than others, but everyone was able to understand each other. My English is not great, but it is not bad either. When I was in London, I did not talk much due to the fear of speaking something wrong and getting embarrassed. However, I began losing up and improved at a quick pace. I learned English in Spain and took a course in the language, so I was prepared when I arrived in India.
How did the ISL compare with playing in England?
The English game was much harder than the Indian leagues. Even the 5th division in England consists of a lot of physicality and long balls. The set contained a lot of force, and the most common formation was 4-4-2.
The Indian game is a little slower. The players have great individual techniques and have a lot more control over the ball. The two leagues are very different.
Do you think more players should go abroad for opportunities?
Yes. A lot of Spanish players end up playing foreign countries, including India. There are a lot of good players in Spain. A large number of players, including some good players, end up leaving the country.
I have enjoyed myself while playing abroad; I think every player should play overseas at least once in their lives.
What was the final like?
It was just one more game for me. I started the game on the bench. I came onto the field in the second half, when the score was 0-0. I was thinking about how I can do my best to help the team. I control my emotions quite well and try to do things well and enjoy the moment. I only think about having fun. I have spent plenty of years practicing the sport, and I don’t get nervous because I don’t think about it.
