2023-11-27 08:15:19
GIRONA Unlock your phone and open your image library. It has all the captures of the League matches in which Girona has become the leader of Primera. Paulo Dino Gazzaniga (Murphy, Argentina, 1992), goalkeeper, son of a goalkeeper and brother of a goalkeeper, doesn’t need to look for them on the internet to be able to keep them: his people already send them there. “It’s a pass, I get a lot of the same every game.” Today, Monday, against the Athletic Club in Montilivi, the white-and-reds, the fashionable team of European football, will look to regain the first position after the triumph of Madrid against Cadiz (9 p.m., GOL).
Eleven wins, one draw and one loss. You have everyone’s admiration for what and how. Have you absorbed it all?
— It is no longer an anecdote that Girona is the leader. It is a certainty. There is a lot of work behind it and when you see yourself at the top you feel that the hours of work and suffering have been worth it. It’s very beautiful, very. Because we look at the ranking and our name is the first to appear. We are hearing a lot of things. This makes us dream. We also have to be realistic because we are Girona, of course, but dreaming is inevitable.
Did you do anything special with the ratings?
— I have them all on my mobile phone and I don’t plan to delete them. Look, this is the first, when we were only leaders for a few hours because then Barça played and won (September 23, matchday 6). And this, this, four days later, when we go back to Vila-real and they beat Mallorca. Here we are already first all night (September 27, day 7). And the last ones, with Madrid’s slip. I have everything here.
Who would have imagined it.
— But if Girona goes first it’s not because it is. Things have been going well at the club for years. That’s why the project attracts, because it works. Everything that surrounds the footballer, from the owners to the sports management, through the coaching staff and the workers, is ideal. Then we will be leaders or not, because here the results rule. Everything is given to us now, but the project is the key.
Does it make you feel that this moment is unique or can it be sustained over time?
— I remember well the talk Míchel gave us in the summer. He told us it was complicated to reset the counter and start over. We had just had a great year and we didn’t go to Europe for a hair. But since the friendlies we have shown that we want to be there. It is everyone’s merit. From Michel, yes. And many colleagues, who are at a high level. This performance strengthens us as a group.
And it allows you to be remembered, another incentive. You are achieving things that no other Girona has ever achieved.
– Yeah yeah. The work is headed here, to make history. We want to make history. We are on the verge of securing stay for the second consecutive year, an unknown milestone. When it’s closed, let’s grow up. The club is also growing. It is special to do it together, with many colleagues who had not lived according to what experience either.
Conformity, not much.
— No, and now! We don’t want to stay here and that’s enough. If we can, we will try to achieve important things. But, I repeat, we must continue to work. Even the players who don’t participate much now. Because if you watched them train, you would realize that they are dying to step on the pitch. It is not easy to enter the eleven, because it is quite defined lately, but raising the daily bar generates a greater degree of competitiveness that benefits us.
There are those who want to detract from your merits by saying that City injects you with unlimited millions and that is why you are at the top.
— We are quite protected, we don’t pay attention to what people think outside. Only those of us who are part of Girona know what happens in Girona. We will not enter into provocations.
You know Míchel well. In fact, you were in the Rayo squad in which he made his debut as a first coach [febrer del 2017, tercer tècnic del curs a Segona, on el Girona, amb Machín, acabaria pujant a l’elit].
— What struck me the most is that he is so close to the players. He is a very honest person, who does not lie to you and does not talk about anyone secretly. He knows how to move in the dressing room, and this is a great value for the manager. It must not be easy to manage so many characters. Above all, make happy those who do not participate as much as they would like. We also talk about this among ourselves.
You also played the role of substitute, at the beginning.
— This is where everyone’s mentality comes in, of wanting to add up, of working hard to get a place in the team. When you’re not playing, it’s hard not to make a bad face. And how much it costs! But you owe it to your colleagues, who deserve respect. At home, as a child, I was taught that respect means everything. We are usually selfish and only look out for ourselves, but we have a partner who also strives to get minutes. Certain values should never be lost.
In the style practiced by Girona, so offensive, what is asked of the goalkeeper?
— That he is plugged in, focused, participative. At first it was hard for me to want the ball. If you watch the videos, you can probably tell [rialles]. In the origin, in the creation of the play, I cannot hide, I have to be brave. The start with the feet, here, is important. There are many situations that were not coachable, such as pressure. Filming has also allowed me to learn more.
Under the three poles, you have a privileged view of the game you deploy.
— I’m enjoying it a lot, we play very attractive football. We get to the opposite goal a lot and for the spectator this is also appreciated. So when we have the ball, I have a good time. When I don’t, I focus on the vigils or the possible losses because, because we attack a lot, someone can get lost. We cannot afford to destructure. And my obligation is to wake up whoever is needed to pay attention.
Are you ready to lose again?
— We have a lot of personality and we don’t want a point anymore: we’ve gotten used to wanting three, which doesn’t mean we’ve gotten used to winning. It comes to us unconsciously and we have normalized it. When a defeat comes it will hurt. That must come and must hurt, eh! And the longer we prolong the winning dynamic, the more chances there are to fall. But the important thing will not be the defeat, but what we will do the next day. Losing doesn’t have to be a tragedy. We have to tell ourselves that nothing has to happen, if we don’t win, and go find the next game. As we always do.
#classification #dreaming #inevitable