Peter Federico makes his debut at Ancelotti’s call. He is one of the great sensations of Raúl’s Real Madrid Castilla and the Bernabéu awaits him with open arms. Xavi García Ferré, the great discoverer of the attacker, attends AS hours before the game against Cádiz. This Catalan coach has helped him in everything from the beginning.
When do you notice Peter?
Being a fry in the 2013/2014 season. He played for Getafe Olímpico, trained by Manuel Ricardo Pérez. That season they played league matches in the Ciudad Deportiva de Getafe in F7, since their club did not have F11 category for youngsters.
What did you think when you saw him play?
From the first moment he saw a differential player, his talent was more typical of a Brazilian. Savvy one-on-one, unlike any guy I’d ever seen before. His dribbling, waist and cheerleaders made me see right away that he would reach professional football, I never had any doubts about it.
How do you sign up for your team?
His previous club, Getafe Olímpico, was absorbed by our club, Ciudad de Getafe. Being a youngster, he summoned him for different tournaments to play with us. The last of the season was in June, a Madrid Supercup that was played in Navas del Rey. We are champions and that’s when I have to outline the squad for next season. I have a conversation with Peter and my second, Chamu Millán, to convince him that our project was according to his needs at all times, he had many doubts. He was a very introverted boy, who had a hard time getting a word out of him and just wanted to enjoy himself and play with his friends.
I make him understand that the City of Getafe is an important step for him, that we would take care of everything so that he was well cared for, and in that way the signing is closed by telling him that if necessary I will sign him on a napkin and that my second I would always go to find him and take him home.
What anecdotes can you tell me about him?
I have many anecdotes, as well the most striking: the season begins and in the first two games, I have to leave him out of the call because he skipped some training. I called the father and asked for a meeting. “If I miss a training session again, I am going to expel him from the team, I want committed players and it is disrespectful if I summon him and he does not come to train for the rest of the teammates and I am not doing Peter any favors. If nothing else is missing, I assure you that your son can be a footballer and make a living from this. ” He did not miss a single training session again, his commitment and behavior was always exemplary.
Another anecdote is when we go on a trip to Castellón for a tournament and he calls me first thing in the morning in case he had to make the bed, in that tournament that we won Peter was the worst of the team by far at the sporting level, but he was the happiest kid in the whole tournament, the first time he went out to a tournament.
Did he tell you about Real Madrid at some point?
He never spoke to me about Real Madrid because Real Madrid’s interest comes from Óscar Carazo, the former director of the club, currently at Real Majadahonda. He communicates it directly to the club. Julio César Gómez, former director of the City of Getafe, transmitted it to me and from September to December, Real Madrid, through his Scout, Ruben Ángulo began to monitor him in all our matches and tournaments. I do not pass this information on to his family or Peter so as not to destabilize him. He thought it was the best for him.
The time came in December, where Real Madrid already told us that they want to incorporate him immediately into their Infantil A squad, I first transmitted it to his father: “The boy is going to want you to continue being his coach, to Peter is you as if “you were his father” what you advise us to do “. Obviously I advised them that the best thing for Peter was Real Madrid, the time had come, he was already 13 years old.
How was that meeting?
I accompanied them in that meeting, where Peter, his brother Paul and their father came. My only mission in that negotiation was to get the best for Peter, I wanted him to enter the residence. By club guidelines, it prevented a player residing in the Community of Madrid from going to residence, at least I was able to get the club to give him better conditions of help, and always transfer to training and games.
Do you think you will make history at Madrid?
Hopefully so, for the love and appreciation I have for him, I would love it. Real Madrid demands from the first moment that you be the best and he is, I have no doubt that he is a player with a magic wand, he has a talent and one against one that makes him different from any extreme. There are no extremes like that anymore, in European football we have taken away that creativity, which he does have, class and self-confidence on the field, capable of being left-handed, leaving both profiles very easily. Let the defenders close their legs or they will eat their pipes that will lift the fans from their seats at the Bernabéu!
Lastly, what does it mean to him and his family to debut in the first team?
His dream has arrived: to enjoy football while he is a professional, especially in a team like Real Madrid. For the family it has to be an enormous pride and satisfaction.
