Girona, Madrid, Cádiz, Huesca and Getafe are the teams where Rubén Yàñez passed (Lloret de Mar, 1993). His record includes two Champions Leagues under the orders of Zinedine Zidane or a promotion to the First Division with the Aragonese team. Despite these milestones, the Lloret native has never had the desired continuity, which he has achieved this season with the Colisseum Alfonso Pérez. After 13 days, he made his debut in the Santander League in a family setting: Ramon de Carranza from Cádiz. From here, and thanks to his good performances, no one has been able to move him from the goal.
He makes his debut and does so in the field of one of his former teams. Can we talk about a dream premiere?
Yes. Making my debut against Cádiz made me very happy. I am very proud to bring my grain of sand to the team and to finally play in the best league in the world. Carranza was the perfect place to play my first game. It was magical to do it there. I don’t even want to imagine what it would have meant to make it possible with the fans, with what it means to have people at that stage.
How did they tell him he would be a starter?
Bordalás usually gives the line-up in the moments before the match and so the players come to the confrontation with the predisposition to play. If you did it days before, the spirits would be totally the opposite. It was no surprise to me to see my name in the starting eleven. I had been in training for a long time with very good feelings and I knew that sooner or later the opportunity would arise. And so it was.
In his time at Cadiz he only played six games, all in the Cup. Was his performance a kind of vindication towards Álvaro Cervera?
Partly yes, of course. It was not an easy year. Any footballer wants to have minutes and play. Putting that aside, I’m happy with the match I played. We were able to win after a very bad dynamics of results. Also, I left the goal at zero. Every goalkeeper dreams of making his debut in Primera with victory and unbeaten. And I got it.
At 27, he finally finds the continuity he was looking for. Before, without too many opportunities, did you think about throwing in the towel?
Despite the bad situation I went through not having the minutes I wanted, I was able to wear the very important club shirt and in all of them I rubbed the opportunity to play. I had to work and train a lot to end up finding the situation that would allow me to play in Primera and have continuity. Throw in the towel? Not even thinking about it, but I did have a really bad time even though I always had hope. I knew it would be a matter of time before my time came. Few people know what I had to go through. Deep down I’m glad I suffered so much, because it makes you stronger. Also, what counts is the now, I don’t want to look at the past.
You won two editions of the Champions League at Real Madrid. How did you live it?
Those were magnificent years. I arrived very young and went through the youth, Madrid C and Castilla before being the third goalkeeper of the first team for two seasons in which we won two Champions under the orders of Zidane. It was a dream come true to be able to play for a club like Real Madrid. In fact, when you enter the white quarry you have to be ambitious and set a goal to be a part of it. In my first year in Second B with Castilla I didn’t play much and not with the first team either as there were very good goalkeepers like Keylor Navas or Diego López.
Did it cost you to leave there?
Leaving Real Madrid was a joint decision. He wanted to go out because he saw that he was ready to take a step forward and grow footballingly. The possibility arose to go to Getafe, which gave me the transfer to Cádiz, where I could not enjoy many minutes. Still, I don’t regret the decisions I’ve made in life.
He used to be in Girona. How do you remember that stage?
It was only one season. I was 16 and I played in Juvenil A. It was definitely one of the most special years I’ve ever lived in my career. He was very young and at this age and category you start to see that you can become a professional in the world of football. I remember we had a great season playing against teams like Barça, Espanyol and Zaragoza.
Still following Girona and would you like to return?
Yes I follow them. Despite having been at the club for a short time, I am from Girona and a fan of Girona. I especially remember one of the many unsuccessful promotions I was able to see in Montilivi. Girona is and will always be a special club for me. And of the future, you never know. What they have to do is go back to Primera, which is where they need to be, so I could play Montilivi against them. It would be spectacular.
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