Just under a month ago he turned 24, but throughout his amateur and professional career he has accumulated numerous different, interesting experiences. Here Sergio tells us all about them.
How do you see the rivals for your position, Sadiku and Julio?
They are two teammates on the attack and I’m here to help them. Julio is from the reserve team and working very well with us, so I’m sure he’ll have more opportunities. ‘Sadi’ has a great deal of experience, he’s already scored a lot of goals and will continue to do so. He’s helping us a lot this year with his goals.
Did you have time to see any of Málaga’s sights before lockdown?
Not really, I’ve not seen very much yet. I’m looking forward to seeing all of Málaga’s tourism hotspots. Between one thing and another, with the pandemic and finding somewhere to live, it’s hard when you move somewhere new. I’ve got a lot to see, but when this is all over, I will enjoy the city and see much more of it.
Is there a player you look up to to improve or to adapt certain attacking movements?
I don’t have a current idol. To my mind the best striker of all time is Ronaldo Nazario and I’ve seen practically all of his videos. I’ve tried to watch everything he’s done, but I don’t focus on any particular striker in order to improve. I pay close attention to every match, I watch a lot of football and analyse the strikers’ attacking transitions, how they move to impede defenders. When you become professional, you begin to see football as a job, more than as a fan, and I try to analyse and learn from every game I watch.
In Barakaldo you scored 14 goals two seasons ago. Your best sporting year was there wasn’t it?
It was the year that helped me to believe in myself the most, and helped me out of my most difficult time as a player. I’d had a couple of tough years in Zaragoza, I didn’t have the opportunities with the first team, so I moved to Juve in search of those opportunities. That year, my teammates, the team and the club helped me a lot. I was in the ideal place to resurface and it was a very special season I’ll remember forever.
A footballer’s worst enemy is sustaining injury. You know from experience right?
I had a bad run of injuries since last season. I’ve never been injured until last year with Mallorca, the one before in Barakaldo I played 38 matches without a problem, and luckily throughout my career I’ve hardly had any injuries. This season and the last one have both been something of a struggle, I’ve had the bad luck of sustaining injury, fractures and discomfort, but right now I feel good and able to do my best.
Curious destiny, you debuted with Málaga against Ponferradina, and with a victory to boot.
It was a coincidence that my first match with Málaga was against the team where I’d been during the first round and months before. It was great to see my former teammates the week after I’d left. It was also nice to play my first match with Málaga at La Rosaleda against a team I have a great deal of affection for, it was special.
Speaking of debuts, correct us if we’re wrong, but your professional debut was at San Mamés wasn’t it?
It was in San Mamés against Bilbao Athletic with Zaragoza. It was a very special day I’ll remember forever. I was part of Zaragoza’s youth ranks and then to debut with the first team, my professional debut, it was so special, I’ll never forget it.
Although you didn’t have a lot of participation, experiencing a First Division promotion like that of Mallorca would be amazing.
One of the best things I’ve ever experienced. Due to injury I wasn’t able to participate as much as I would have liked, but I felt an important part of the group. When I was fit, on form, the coach trusted me to play in the second halves of games. Hopefully we’ll do the same with Málaga, it’s very difficult, I don’t think we should focus on that objective for the time being. But if not this year, then in the future. A promotion is something to be remembered forever, unfortunately in football there are more difficult moments, but they’re all worth it to experience something like a promotion.
Finally, many Malaguistas may not know this, but you played in the Barça and Juve youth ranks…
I had the fortune of being part of some big clubs, especially Barça and Juve, where their work is exceptional and very different between the two. I learnt so much from both experiences, and I’m sure, thanks to my time at the Barça and Juve youth ranks, that’s why today I can wear the Málaga shirt.
