Sergio Ramos is interviewed in the special supplement El Mundo prepared for the opening on the 2010-11 La Liga season this weekend. And by special supplement, I mean 10 pages dedicated to Real Madrid, 10 pages dedicated to Barcelona, 10 pages dedicated to COMPARING Real Madrid and Barcelona, and five pages dedicated to the rest of the teams in the first division. Sergio is only one of two players interviewed (the other is from Barcelona of course – Gerard Piqué).
Highlights of the interview are below. Reading Sergio’s interview makes me wonder why Crackòvia parodies him as an idiot, because, as you can see for yourself, he gives very thoughtful, articulate answers, which I’ve tried to convey in my translations.
Q: Do you have the feeling that you’ve lost a lot of time in these last few years?
A: It’s true that we should have won more things. As a group, Real Madrid has lost a a bit of time, but it has so much potential that it can make up for lost time in no time. Only the great teams, and there aren’t many, have this ability. From an individual point of view, I’ve not only not lost time, but I’ve also learned and progressed a lot more than any other player of my age. Madrid is one of the most important universities in the world.
Q: Are you looking at Barcelona from a distance?
A: They’ve been the best in the two last seasons, and there’s no doubt about that. But Madrid has always been there with them. We would have taken advantage of any small mistake that they could have made. There’s a strength in Real Madrid that is impossible to find in any other club. I think it comes from the escudo.
Q: What are you first conclusions about Mourinho?
A: I realized when I spoke to him and looked him in the eyes for the first time that I was speaking to a champion, one of the greats. People can criticize him for being egocentric or his way of being, but I believe that’s precisely what makes him so strong. This coach has a lot of self confidence, because he respects his profession. He knows that dedication to football requires professionalism and seriousness. He took a different road than many of his colleagues. He’s a student of football and of footballers. He’s the best thing that could have come to Madrid. Mourinho is like that famous drink, the one that gives you wings [Sergio is referring to Red Bull].
Q: Is it worth it to have paid so much for a coach, when you could have signed a Cesc or a Silva instead?
A: I think the big decisions of clubs is this: they put their money on one thing or another. There comes a moment when a choice needs to be made. A coach like Mourinho, to me, is priceless. I don’t know what will happen, although I can imagine it, but I know that Madrid needs Mourinho.
Q: Do you like how Real Madrid is playing?
A: I’m sure this will be something that will be talked about the entire year. From as far as I can remember, people have talked about if Madrid plays well or not. It doesn’t matter if they’re winning titles because how they play is important. Being able to win and play beautiful football is something very complicated, and something that needs time. Barcelona and the national team are special cases in the history of football.
Q: So?
A: So we all have two options: one is to criticize the style of Madrid from the very first moment, and the other is to accept that good things take time. Every one is free to think how they like, but I’m one of the positive ones. I think that we’ll not only be competing for the big titles, but also providing fans with afternoons of great football.
Q: What does Mourinho have that sets him apart?
A: I respect all the coaches I’ve had, and I’m convinced that they all did whatever was in their power to make Madrid triumph. But I think Mourinho has a sixth sense not only for the aspects of his profession, but also for the aspects of each game. For him, the 90 minutes of each game are another day of work, and he doesn’t rest during them. There are coaches that say “games are for the players.” But Mourinho understands that they’re also for him.
Q: Your thoughts on playing more as a central defender than a fullback?
A: Well, at the beginning of the season, the coach wasn’t planning on this. But now circumstances have changed. It’s a shame that so many of the central defenders have gotten injured.
Q: Does a player feel more important if they’re a world champion?
A: That also gives you wings. Winning a World Cup is the most important thing for any professional. For a Spaniard, I can’t even begin to say what it means, because Spain had never done well in this tournament. It’s not that I feel more important, but it has made me more mature, and I think that this will come out in games.