This is the most unknown Joselu, between devotion to his shadow partner and the rage that must now make him laugh | Relief

A little over ten years ago, Joselu He was one of the players with the greatest pedigree in historical Castilla.. Nacho, Carvajal, Alex, Lucas, Juanfran and Jese stuck to this long-legged Galician, with an accent that he never abandoned and with a charisma that accompanied him when the children got together in a bar in Montecarmelo. Angle 22., owned by a worker from Valdebebas. There, Joselu’s bad mood went away when he lost in training. Then, in 2011-12. There was already an underlying struggle with Mora, who had the love and devotion that his teammates and coach Toril gave to “Sel” at the club.. One went to Germany, the other stayed in Madrid.

Josel didn’t have the patience. He looked mature, the top scorer for Castilla that won that season, and Given the club’s dedication to Morata, he did not want to remain in the second division.. “I was the first one who wanted to leave Castilla, I had enough level to play in the First Division next year. I went where I wanted, sometimes things go well, sometimes things go badly.“, he said in a conversation with a writer published in Marca in 2017. The fact is that Hoffenheim paid six million for him (in 2012), and Joselu flew away from the Valdebebas nest. The Galician who arrived at La Fabrica ” in 2009 from the hand of Ramon Martinez, who knew him from Vigo, for only one and a half kilograms.

His career has always been what I want and can’t do. Or it doesn’t work for me. Or they won’t let me. Or it doesn’t happen. Some stability: Hoffenheim, Eintracht Frankfurt, Hannover, Stoke, Deportivo, Newcastle, Alaves and Espanyol. Year after year, transfer or assignment, another opportunity to start from scratch and justify himself… without completely breaking it. According to the terms, there was a quorum among those who knew him. Joselu was always ready for more than he achieved. A top level striker, a lifelong player with purpose in his veins. Score more than 20 goals in a season. He now has 16. His best was 17 at Espanyol.

This was the highest goals per minute at the Bernabeu for many years. He scored on his debut against Almeria under Mourinho. He also scored against Ponferradina in the Cup and scored a brace in 33 minutes in his first match for Deportivo. At that time he introduced four goals in 51 minutes. Far less important than his brace within seconds against Bayern is the history he created.

A few curveballs and an agent to hold on to

He also had ill-wishers. A few months ago, the former Primera Liga coach was critical of the fact that where Joselu left, he was relegated. His departure from Alaves is being discussed in court with allegations that he threatened to reduce his performance if the automatic renewal clause was not lifted. At that time he was defending himself, playing under cover or with fever. The striker was angry because Mendizorroz opposed his move to Sevilla. Talking about 2021. Lopetegui tried his best to take him to Nervion.

Farewell to Espanyol also had its shadows. Luis Garcia talks less publicly than privately about his feelings about the final part of the course.

Jose Redondo, his “partner”, the agent who looked after him since childhood, was always by his side. At a time when players allow themselves to be seduced by big companies (or carte blanches) or illustrious representative families, Joselu remains loyal to Redondo, a representative of the middle class of Spanish football, with whom he has a close friendship. Always in the shade, Jose It has followed him professionally and personally throughout his career. It is also an achievement for him to have a permanent seat in the Bernabeu boxes after years of watching football at Valdebebas, Cerro or other fields where it is much colder than eating canapés in Chamartin. A hardworking worker who now, from his position, enjoys the honey of success. The career of “Selo” cannot be understood without this man from Cordoba, whom the representation was struck by the most painful desertion.

When Joselu began running for the national team, he was upset that he was not called up. Not even on the preliminary list. We are especially talking about 2022, the confrontation with the World Cup. This usually happens to players from modest teams who find it difficult to break out of the shell of being called up to the senior team. Joselu is the third player to make his debut for the national team at the age of almost 33 (after Argila, the goalkeeper of the 50s, and Puskas). He is now a regular player for De la Fuente. land it will be funny to remember how indignant they were when they didn’t take him. This is a reward for coincidence. “You become a footballer to also experience what I experienced in my past,” he responded in the mixed zone after achieving the feat. He said this for a reason. Only he and those closest to him know what he had to go through to touch heaven.

Only by experiencing it will you be able to enjoy it in all its dimensions.

When he came to Paris as a fan for the final against Liverpool, he didn’t want it to be known, although he was shy, afraid of what people would say. 12 years ago, Joselu met Carvajal for a report in Marca, one at Eintracht, the other at Hoffenheim, and both said: “It would be a dream to come back.” They could not even remotely imagine that years later they would become sons-in-law, let alone that they would have to play together, under the royal shield, in the Champions League final.