Carvajal: “We have a terrifying journey ahead in the Eurocup”

It’s evening in Donaueschingen. Dani Carvajal is present for an interview with AS in the dining room of the luxurious Der Öschberghof complex, where Spain dreams of winning its fourth European Championship every night. At the same time, the defender answers questions about Madrid, which is experiencing one of the golden moments in its history, and the national team, which hopes to get it back.

-He participated in two World Championships, but, curiously, this is his first European Cup at the age of 32…

-Well, yes. And I accept it with great enthusiasm.

– Yes, he played and was the champion of the European Cup among youths under 21. From there, only Nacho, Mora and you will survive. It’s interesting that all three started that tournament in reserve… Is perseverance rewarded?

-Yeah. We were talking about this at the table the other day. For people like Jesus (Navas) or me, having such a long career and always playing at the international level, playing in three competitions and fighting for titles, it’s very difficult and we have to appreciate that.

-Spain beat Georgia with a score of 1-7 and 3-1. Would it be a mistake to mistake this for a reference?

– Completely. The game in Tbilisi was unreal. The pitch was soft, the ball was moving a lot, it was raining heavily, they pressed high and made a mistake. I think it will be more like the game with Valladolid, which we started with a defeat. In fact, it cost us money.

“Luis de la Fuente is the winner”

– I won’t compare them, you had Del Bosque, Lopetegui, Hierro, Luis Enrique, Robert Moreno as coaches… What does De la Fuente give you?

– In the end, every coach has his own nuances and his own view of football. And I think the coach is a winner. He gives us his energy. To work well in defense; and in attack, it gives us energy and freedom to attack the opponent face to face, if it is one against one; and not to choose football with absolute control. Sometimes it is more difficult.

-In the end, you will have to get to know Kvaratskhelia well…

– Yes, I have already met with him four times this year. Two in the group stage with Madrid against Naples; and two choices.

-And that stopped him.

– Georgia scored a goal against us in Valladolid, but overall, I think I managed to contain it. It’s very-very good. This is a strong bone. As part of Georgia, he does not play so close to the flank, but rather as a second striker. You must be vigilant.

-You must be used to it. Olmo, Grealish, Adeyemi in the Champions League, now Kwara. And Musiala, Wirtz, Mbappe may end up in the background…

– When you have world-class opponents, I take it as a challenge. I like to face the best, and I like to come out on top.

“If we win the European Cup, it wouldn’t be crazy to see me on the list for the Ballon d’Or.”

– You won 25 titles with Madrid, and you already have six victories in the Champions League. It won’t be long before he appears on the list of candidates for the Ballon d’Or.

-Really, I don’t even think about it. It’s true that I had a great year, also at an attacking level, with a goal in the final… If I do well in the European Cup and if we win it, I could be in the list of candidates. . It wouldn’t be crazy.

-And until you win.

-It’s complicated. They pay the most for scoring goals, that’s the hardest thing. Vinicius and Bellingham have had a great year and Mbappe will be a candidate if France win the European Cup. I don’t even think about it or think about it. I plan to go as far as possible in the European Cup and, if possible, reach the final in Berlin.

– Last year Rodri won everything with City, Nations… and didn’t win. Is the Spanish player a bad sell?

– I don’t know. It’s true that Rodri could have won it last year. And in 2010, when the national team won the World Cup, the Spaniard deserved it. Or Owen’s Ballon d’Or, which could have belonged to Raul. Maybe we really need to do a little more than others to get the Ballon d’Or.

-He already has the same Champions League as Gento. But Gento said it would be difficult for anyone to reach twelve leagues.

-Well, he was absolutely right. I have four of them and every time I get it I really like it because it’s a very difficult title to get.

-How is it possible that you have won six Champions Leagues and only four Leagues?

-These are different competitions. After all, there are games in the Champions League where you need to focus mentally. A mistake sends you home and you will have to be strong in both areas. In the League, everyone wants to beat Madrid and you have to give 120% in every game because the opponents, if you ask Osasuna, Mallorca or Getafe, are playing their game of the year. And it’s hard to match that level of focus and energy.

– He is 32 years old and experiencing the best moment of his career. In Madrid he has two different examples: Kroos shortened his career; Modric extends it. Navas is almost 39 years old in the national team and his numbers continue to grow. Which side is he on?

-I’m not thinking about anything today. Neither for a future in Madrid, nor for leaving. I’m enjoying the moment, now I’m here at the European Cup and I talk about it with my wife many times. I enjoy every practice, every game; and everything that must come will come. I try not to focus on the future, because I like to live in the present, in every situation that happens to me in life.

– Why do you think you were chosen to lay the first stone of the Madrid Sports City at the age of ten?

-Ramon Martinez told me that he sees the potential to become a first-team player. The truth is that he had a great eye. This surprised me. To be a player of Alevin A, to represent the spoils of this tournament… After all, Ramon had a good eye.

– Now that we are in Germany and talking about youth, what did that year in Leverkusen give you?

– He helped me a lot on a personal and professional level. After all, it is not a common thing for a club playing in the Europa League to bet on a Spanish third-tier player. And they paid five million euros twelve years ago. It was decent money back then. From here, I must thank you for giving me the opportunity to become a professional player. And because of this I am the player that I am.

– Joselu, who is a partner and family, is leaving. How do you feel when you go to a person who has your daughter’s birth date tattooed on him?

– Joselu is my family. He’s someone special. I’m sad because we were together all day and made plans. Children play, vacations, we go to training together, travel… But I also understand your situation. In the end, life rewarded him for the work he put in throughout his career. He arrived at Real Madrid. He won the Champions League, that’s important… I understand his position. Mbappe and Endrick come into the attack and may have a lower level of involvement. And you receive an irrefutable and understandable offer.

“Madrid always reacts and behaves like a gentleman; “I experienced delicate moments and they renewed me”

-You can imagine that the club’s behavior towards Joselu and Nacho gives you a lot of confidence, and they feel good there…

-A club, as they would say about a person, is a club, sir. He treats us great. If you are a player who loves home and gives everything, the club responds. I had difficult moments, due to injuries or at a level that was not the one I had performed at before, and Madrid renewed me. He showed his support and trust, and for that I will always be grateful. As Nacho said, the relationship is so trusting and natural that the club takes care of us and we take care of the club. They try to make us happy both in Madrid and beyond.

– What has been done at the club to extend this victorious era?

– I think that, apart from the offer he made to the young players, it is not easy to always get good results with players like Vinicius, Rodrygo, Fede Valverde, Chouameni, Camavinga, who explode when they exploit, I think the key is that the club is above all. The president is the one who commands, the one who directs; and ultimately, that makes the club well structured and you know what role you play in it.

“Mbappe makes us candidates for everything again”

– Madrid is better with Mbappe, but maybe Madrid is even better for him.

– I think it will be mutual. A player of his caliber will give us a lot; and I think wearing our jersey, which will surround him with very good players, will make us candidates for everything again. I hope this will happen and we will continue to win titles.

-His performances in the dressing room are starting to become known. Last year, despite not being in the starting lineup, he gave it away before the Nations Final. This year again before his debut against Croatia. Where does that vein come from?

-This is not what I cook. It comes to me at the moment. I try, being one of the oldest members of the national team, to convey my experience, what I went through. Saying that it’s not easy to be in the national team, that it’s not easy to fight for titles, that you may not be in the Eurocup again. And you have to take advantage of it and enjoy it, and you can’t think, “I could do another one.” No. You have to give everything. I think we’re doing well. You have to meet the game with all the guarantees.

“I plan to end up in Madrid, no doubt”

– His Leganes has also become more expensive. Will I go back there to finish?

– I watched. They deserved it. I like to go back to Butarque and play there. I definitely plan to end up in Madrid; although in the future, who knows. But I wouldn’t play in Europe.

– In Madrid he was used to being the favourite. Here Spain was hiding, but has already taken off its mask. What is good and bad about that?

– Nobody considered us favorites, and today I think it’s a plus to play more relaxed. I think it was seen that we could be among the candidates, but now the knockout matches, the life and death matches begin, and now we have to become strong and go through each phase, because we have a terrifying path ahead of us. First, focus on the game with Georgia, and we will think about the future.

– Madrid have already offered to extend the contract. And it is true that the captains of Madrid are leaving: Casillas, Ramos, Benzema, Nacho, Modric may leave next year… He needs to extend the contract.

– At the moment, I am not considering leaving Madrid, far from it. Yes, my subjective perception is that the day I can’t contribute as much as I can, I will step aside. But I am very happy. I think I can give a lot to the club, to the team. And I am more excited than ever.

“We have to take care of Lamin so that he doesn’t get tired of football too quickly.”

– You, who had to advise Vinicius and Rodrigo, who came so young, what would you say to Lamin, although he has been playing for an eternal rival all year?

-Well, he is a very mature boy for his age. I recently talked about this with veterans. At 17 I won the Champions Cup as a youth. He is a fairly prepared boy, but he still needs to be taken care of a lot, both in the RFEF and, I suppose, in his club. The boy is so young that he needs to measure the steps he has to take very well so that he doesn’t get tired of football in the near future; And I tell you: stay grounded, because this is not easy. It’s not easy when all the attention is on you when you’re so young. You have to keep him under control, focus on what he has to do, and he will definitely do it.

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