“All the signings that arrived were big stars… And a boy from Rosario, from Racing de Santander, arrived to try to find a place for himself”. This is how Ezequiel Garay remembers his landing in the white constellation. One on a deferred basis, because the 10 million were disbursed by the white club in 2008, but he spent one more season, on loan, at Sardinero. His fouls and penalties were the icing on the cake of his abilities as a center back. And in Chamartín they did not hesitate. Between injuries and competition, the stage ended soon, but he lived on site the Pellegrini-Mourinho transition. Until 2011 when Benfica appeared. And there he found happiness again.
Was Messi’s partner with Argentina and Cristiano at the Bernabéu. That is why the comparison he draws is not trivial: “Mbappé is on his way to being a star at his level; he will make history”. Nor is his x-ray of Xabi and Arbeloa, the technician who left and the one who arrived. Both at his side in their two courses in white: “Xabi looked like he would be a coach; Arbeloa, not much, but he is doing very well.” “He was a player with a lot of personality and a lot of character,” he remembers. And, although he recognizes that his heart beats stronger for the Águilas (“they were some of my best years”), Chamartín remembers it fondly: “You can never say no to Madrid; it is a world apart”. From the Caja Mágica, on the eve of the Generali Hexagon CupEzequiel Garay. A boy from Rosario who was another star among stars, in AS.
Tomorrow, Benfica-Madrid. It will touch your heart…
My heart pulls more for Benfica. For the years I spent, as a person and as a footballer. They were some of my best years. I owe a lot to that club and the people.
When the time comes to leave Madrid. Is it difficult to make that decision?
It becomes very difficult to leave a club like Madrid. But I understood that what I liked most was playing. That what I needed was rhythm, to play those games in a row… and Benfica was going to give it to me. The decision was the best.
It would be easier to say yes to Madrid, I imagine.
You can never say no to a club like Madrid. It is a world apart and I had to experience it very closely. It is totally different from the other clubs. Not so much inside as outside. It was a good stage.
“You can never say no to Madrid; it is a world apart”
Garay, con AS
He signed in 2008, but landed in 2009 (he stayed on loan at Racing for a season), along with Cristiano, Kaká, Benzema…
All the signings that arrived were big stars… And a boy from Rosario, from Racing de Santander, arrived to try to find a place for himself. It was a very nice experience.
You were a scorer for Racing, you took free kicks and penalties. In Madrid it would be more difficult to take over them…
(Laughs) It was more complicated. There was Cristiano and others who took not only penalties, but also fouls. I had to be in the second, third or fourth plane (laughs again).
Who surprised you the most in that constellation?
(without hesitation) Christian. You don’t get a figure like him every day. It was very nice to share a dressing room with him.
“Mbappé is on his way to being like Cristiano and Messi; he will make history”
Garay, former teammate of Cristiano Ronaldo
Now there is a lot of talk about Mbappé’s ‘persecution’ of Cristiano. Do you see similarities?
I didn’t share a dressing room with Kylian, but you can see that he is very hungry, that he wants to achieve many things at Madrid. He is on his way to being a world star like Cristiano and Messi were, to achieving the things they achieved. It’s on a very good path. Cristiano had a very strong personality, but Kylian will also make history.
You were a center back who arrived young, like Huijsen…
He is a player with a lot of quality. We still need to discover what a great player he is. We will see it very soon, because it is very good.
“We still have to discover what a great player Huijsen is”
Garay, former Madrid center back
His first year was marked by Alcorcón and Lyon. How do you digest something like that?
They were very complicated. All the important moments, when you can’t pass them, are. For every locker room and every coaching staff. For fans, even more. Oh well. That time had to pass, it passed and very important things were achieved.
It happened with Mourinho.
A very big, very strong personality. Which is what a team needs. He had a difficult time… That of Messi, Suárez, Neymar, Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta (smiles). It was not easy to counteract all that. But he did it very well.
“Mourinho recovered Madrid’s winning mentality, it was necessary”
Ezequiel Garay
It is said a lot that he recovered the winning mentality, that of competing in the Champions League…
Yes and it is something that was needed. Being able to compete, seeing what Madrid really is. And that was reflected a lot with him.
In that team he coincides with Xabi and Arbeloa. Did it seem like they would be coaches?
Xabi yes. It was clear that he was going to be a coach when he retired. I didn’t see Álvaro much, but what he has done, also in Madrid, he is doing very well. And I hope it goes great.
Personally, what was it like?
When you had to joke, you joked; When you had to be serious, you were. He was a player with a lot of personality and a lot of character.
Mixed area
And before the talk with AS, Garay answered the questions of all the media present.
What assessment do you make of the change of coach at Madrid and that whistle on Levante day?
If I’m honest, since I quit football, I haven’t seen anything. What I see is what appears on the mobile (smiles). Everyone who is on a team wants to do better. Football is like that. If there are no results, you have to change. I experienced it in Valencia, in Madrid… It’s like that.
There is talk of a prophecy these days. 10 years ago a Spanish coach (Benítez) was dismissed and a former player who was Castilla coach (Zidane) came on board, among other coincidences…
I always want Madrid to do well. May he win. I hope Arbeloa can achieve a Champions League and do what Zidane did. Madrid is a different world and everyone wants to be there and win as much as possible.
“Hopefully Arbeloa can win a Champions League and do what Zidane did”
Garay
What key do you think Arbeloa has touched?
A locker room like Madrid is very difficult. There are great players, great stars. It is difficult to carry them. The coach must have a lot of character.
What is the reason for the palpable change?
It could be the change of scenery. Another way of working, of watching football… Unconsciously, things change in the player’s head and it is seen in the first two or three games. I hope they can continue like this.
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