Girona“I’m satisfied, and so much so,” says Víctor Sánchez, who after a long career has hung up his boots for good. “Everything has been very complicated since I left Espanyol. I didn’t want to leave, you always want to be at home,” he admits, forever more in love with the white-and-blue colors. “When I say it’s my home, it’s because when I got there I found a family. I’m not just talking about the footballers, I’m talking about the people I shared my day to day with, the club workers. I was there for eight and a half years , we shared many hours together.” It goes without saying that in love relationships everything is intensified. “You feel the good things that happen, but also the bad ones. And the bad ones are hard, because you know that people you appreciate are suffering. It’s not easy to take it,” he confesses.
Sánchez’s journey has been worth it: Barça, Xeres, Getafe, Espanyol, Neuchatel, Western United and Girona. Precisely, Girona and Espanyol face off this Saturday in Montilivi (2pm, DAZN). He has savored the journey since he was a child, when his father accompanied him in the pursuit of his dream of becoming a professional, until the end, with promotion to the First Division. “It was very emotional, of course, and a very nice way to close the circle. Because I had already celebrated promotion, huh?”, he claims, recalling what he achieved with Barça B from Tercera to Segona B. Afterwards the treble came with Guardiola. “I feel it’s mine, but in quotes, because I wasn’t involved much. I was just starting.”
Staying with a moment is complicated, but not so much if you have been part of Espanyol. “Qualification for Europe 2019. We wanted it, but we thought it would never come. And how it came: Athletic were six points ahead of us with three games to go. It was impressive.” The bitter face also has to do with those at RCDE Stadium. “The decline of 2020, the decline. And having to leave.” Like great loves, everything revolves around them.
From playing in the Kings League to running the Marathon
Now Sánchez is a person at peace. He has participated in a day of the Kings League, with the Troncos, and ran the Barcelona Marathon. “It was a good experience, but I couldn’t combine it with training for the Marathon. In the future I don’t rule out getting involved, but hopefully in some way it will be linked to Espanyol. I still don’t know how , but it’s what I want. For now, I’ve done the Marathon, which has distracted me and I’m very proud of myself, because of the preparation and the time I did.” He finished it in 2 hours, 53 minutes and 5 seconds, and was 278th overall. When he sets his mind to something, no one can deny that he is involved.
“I’ve always said that footballers and families are privileged, but for the money and that’s enough,” he says, regarding the cost of personal life when you’re an elite player. “I’ve lived from my passion, yes, but my wife doesn’t like football. Not that we’re recognized or looked at on the street. Not everything is beautiful, here. We’re apart many weekends, or when you’re injured you come at home grumpy, and the ones who swallow it unfortunately are your people. And you can’t schedule anything at all. Not even the birth of a child, because you can try to plan it a little, but you never know for sure.” add.
Time wears everything down too. “My son’s birthday is on June 5. For example, last year with Girona we played the qualification for the play-off in Burgos a few days before, and the semi-finals were on the 5th or 6th. And I was wondering when he would throw the party and what we should do. Well, that for fifteen years. We are privileged, yes – he repeats – but family-wise sometimes it’s a mountain.”
Offers to continue playing professionally
Why did you say goodbye now? “I still had the door open to some offer that would fulfill me sportingly, financially and as a family experience. I was thinking about the United States or returning to Australia, for the language, but nothing has come of it. In fact, while I was waiting I wondered if I really didn’t want to fold, because in the offers that have come to me, I have always found some excuse not to accept them.” Once again, Sánchez expresses the problems of having something that is in good taste for all parties. “It’s hard to go back to study if I go alone or with them, to which city, if when I’m there I’ll be able to perform physically… Everything has come together, yes. But since I was already satisfied, that’s the end.”
What he does not do will be his relationship with Girona and Espanyol. “Girona deserved to be where they are, football owed it to them. You can already see how they have returned to Primera, wanting the ball and defending a very clear identity. But they suffer a lot at the back and, even if Espanyol have not found a concrete style throughout the course, he scores you with little because it is rocky and enjoys the imbalance of Darder, Braithwaite and Joselu. It will be a closely contested derby,” he concludes.
