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Getting a draw in Brighton is not that easy my friends. I have played on the other side and the Amex is a difficult ground. It doesn’t matter whether the local team is in good form or not, they have been playing with the same philosophy for many years and it’s hard to take the ball from them, therefore the point we got deserves full credit, especially taking into consideration the circumstances that Blackpool is going through. Is it good enough? Of course in our current situation we need to win and we need to start getting a few wins in a row…but the team is really fighting like a wounded animal.
It is very frustrating to see that no one is walking all over us, but the weeks go through, so do the games and there we are right at the bottom. It happened against Watford last Tuesday and again on Saturday against Brighton. We missed a penalty, a last minute chance …It is hard to take but at the same time it motivates us in a special way.
I smile and prefer to see the bottle half full, otherwise I would get depressed and I am determine not to let that happen. But I was desperate to play and missing the game in Brighton, with the special connotations that that game had for me, was a real blow. The problems in my foot add to everything that is going on. I told you last week that I had to be injected and there was some risk involved and I paid for it. However, it seems that it is nothing too serious and I will be able to play soon as I really need to.
I have this label of being a player bond to injuries and I don’t like it. Last season I missed more than two months of competition due to the club’s doctor’s mistake. I don’t want to even begin to explain how much I suffered and what a doctor in Barcelona told me afterwards, as there is no point in looking back. But no one came to my defence, no one said anything and at the end of the season they decided not to renew my contract. In Swansea, in Brighton and now in Blackpool I have always done the same, I have devoted myself body and soul and this kind of situations hurt, because my friends, football players are also human beings!
Having said that, this week has been quite difficult. I went for a scan and on Tuesday, just before our game against Watford, our physiotherapist told me that the ligament on the sole of my foot was damaged. At the beginning I got really scared but he then told me that it was nothing to worry about and not to even consider having an injection. And my dad was there at home! ¡Ti voglio bene Babbo! We went together to the game and I was able to say hi to Oscar’s assistant Ruben Martinez, whom I’d like to send a big hug. And what about the game? More of the same. I have said it before, no one walks over us but everybody is above us on the table.
After that I had only been thinking about Brighton. I had lots of phone calls from colleagues, friends, journalists… For any football player, it is very especial to play against your former team, in a pitch in which he has received the support of his former fans. I never discovered that in Swansea and I really wanted to live it in Brighton, but the doctor told me otherwise on Thursday and when I suggested that “perhaps…” on Friday, I got told off and I was told not to even thing about it. It was really hard. On Saturday I switched off my mobile and I went out to an Italian to eat pasta.
I went to see my friend Salvatore, the owner of a restaurant called Rosanero in Macclesfield which nobody should miss. He is a top person and the food is simply spectacular. I went with all the family and with Berta, Laura’s sister, and I am not sure whether I told you that she is going out with Jordi Gomez, who plays for Sunderland and who was my teammate at Barça. A top bloke…surely Berta made the right choice!
The weekend has given me some good news though. Apart from the draw in Brighton, Becchio scored again with Rotherham and Leo Ulloa is flying with Leicester. I can assure you that player is incredible. He is a top bloke and a top player and I am so happy things are going well with him in Leicester. Yesterday I enjoyed watching the game against United. I believe never before in the premier league, a team has come back from a 2 goals behind against United. Another record for Van Gaal…
What is important now is to think about our next game against Norwich, another candidate for promotion. I would like to say that we are going to beat them, but at least I can say that we are going to break our necks to win. And to do so would be a breath of fresh air. I am not going to ask the fans to support us because I can see that they are behind the team in every game and we can never be too grateful for that.
By the way, I am getting married in June. I can see Laura getting stressed already, the dress, the flowers, this and that…and it’s still September! I tried to let my moustache grow this week and had to shave it off already as it was putting our relationship in danger! I am not sure who is the boss in your home but I don’t need to tell you who wears the trousers in mine!
I wanted to finish by talking a little bit about Scotland and the resemblances with the situation in Catalonia but I better leave it. Whatever I say someone would get annoyed. I, of course, have my own opinion but honestly I rather not get too involved.
If you can help someone in need do it, wherever you are from and whoever you support. Just read Orlandi’s Monday and please, be happy!
Come on!!!!