Madrid

Raúl

The days in Ibiza were few, but they became incredible. Live more intimately with no one to get in our way? It was amazing! It helped us create complicity, partnership and intimacy in a relationship that is still in its infancy. However, our incredible days in paradise called Ibiza came to an end, and we were forced to return to our realities. The big day has arrived, to introduce myself to the Selection. It’s not the first time I perform, I’ve used that red shirt from U-17 to U-23, the base for the main team, but it’s not the same, the main team has always been my dream.

I park my car, grab my suitcase and continue walking to the entrance to the Spanish National Team Training Center, a building that reminds me of a hotel. In front of the access doors of that place I always dreamed of entering as an athlete of the main team, they open and close, and I can’t contain a shy tear that insists on sprouting, it’s stronger than me. Staying in this place, putting on the training uniform, and finally participating in the first team’s speech, is the farthest I could imagine in my boyhood dreams… Of course, I always dreamed of playing for the national team, between dreaming and realizing. There is an immense distance, and today I have crossed it.

During the lecture on the lawn of one of the training camps, coach Del Castillo welcomes rookies like me, his face is very serious, it’s not because of his gray hair, his beard, or his imposing height, but the way he talks and behaves in front of his team, many here are the best in Spain, in European clubs, and there is the best in the world, Rafael. He is not intimidated like some coaches, who let famous players rule, impose what they want, this is probably due to the years of experience in football both as a player and as a coach. He explains the game proposal that he has been developing, he is categorical in stating that he intends to test even more with France, and it is a scheme similar to the one that Sport Club de Madrid always proposes on the field. I knew he’d been using something like this, so I wasn’t surprised.

While training was going on, something caught my attention and that of the entire team, one of the starting defenders, Álvarez , feels something in the muscle of one of his thighs as he goes up to cut the ball in the area during a corner kick, Del Castillo stops training to for him to be attended to, and beckons me to come closer.

– I think Del Castillo will put you in Álvarez ‘s place! – says Thomas.

– Will it be? I’ll see what he wants from me…

I approached the coach. And as soon as I stand before him, the man informs me.

– I want you in the defense, Raúl!

– In place of Alvarez ? Will he not come back? My question seems a little silly, but this is my first day in the first team, and he wants me to replace one of the best defenders in the world. Hope I don’t mess up!

– Yes. Álvarez will be evaluated by the medical department. Take off your reserve shirt, and position yourself next to Váldez, I want to test him!

The training days were intense, the game schedule is not easy, keeping possession of the ball, marking the opponent until he gets tired and makes mistakes. The attack is lethal… At least that’s what I learned, watching and playing against Sport Club de Madrid, and now with the Seleção. Álvarez was really out of the friendlies, and I took his place in this game. I don’t know if I’ll be a starter in the next one, but just the fact of debuting in a game with France, at the Stade de France, is priceless!

I always saw on TV the profiled players singing their anthems, in our case we only heard them, but now I’m here in front of a crowd, alongside several players, some I know and consider as friends, others I know and I’m not so close, and another who was my friend, but ignored me during all the training days until now. If I didn’t know Dani, I would say that he is someone else, his behavior is not the same as the one who was once my best friend. But what really matters is what I feel when I hear the Marcha Real, the Spanish Anthem… It may seem silly, but I am truly moved.

[…]

Perfect. That was the word the press used to describe my performance in the game with France. We won the match 2 × 1. It was just a friendly, for me it was more than that, and now I needed to get back to my reality, and face the final stretch of the Spanish League and the Champions League. of Europe , and help my team to reach another final, because becoming Spanish champion was a little far away, in the last games we drew, and our direct opponents for the title dispute, advanced even more, leaving us in a distance of eight points in relation to the second place that is Sport Club de Madrid, and ten points between the Catalan team, and probably one of the two will be the Spanish champions.

Dedicating myself to the Champions is the objective of the season. And that’s exactly what I did, we passed the Club sportif Olympique , and then we faced another French team. We tied for the first one in our stadium, but we won by 3 × 1, with one goal from Tomás and two from Rafael. We reached the semifinals, and the first game was at home, we couldn’t get out of the 0 × 0, and then we went to Munich to face Freiham, it was extremely difficult, we won by 2 × 1, a goal by Rafael, and another one by me. It’s not customary for a player of my position to score a goal, that’s the responsibility of the forwards, the so called front men, but I scored the qualifying goal, and another dream came true… Playing in a Champions League final of Europe!

All this time I’ve just been traveling from place to place, with practically no break for family, friends, and best of all… My delicious girlfriend. We talk every day on the phone, it’s not the same, and the few moments we spent together were instantaneous. I want to see her , hear her, touch her body, kiss her mouth, unfortunately it’s not possible.

Alana

Since we got back from Ibiza I’ve only been following my boyfriend on TV, talking to him on the phone, sometimes we met quickly. Miss you. He invited me to watch the Champions League final in Paris. In the last calls, Raúl was very unhappy with the Selection, his second call up for the last friendly before the World Team Tournament, with the Uruguayan National Team, Del Castillo left him on the bench, Álvarez was recovered and Raúl only entered at the end of the second time. This was before the trainer released a Prelist with all those that interest him. And his desire to be among the twenty-three summoned rose again, and anguish gave way to hope.

During this period, I have dedicated myself to working on my French, continuing my writing projects, and I also tried in vain to talk to Edu, without success, he always finds a way to disappear or escape this subject. Babi thinks I’m imagining things, and that ‘s not possible . After what Raúl told me, I’m pretty sure it is!

[…]

The big day of the final arrives. I know Raúl is in full concentration, we haven’t spoken in the last two days. The stadium is packed, I sit in an armchair in the family area, my mother-in-law and my brothers-in-law are beside me. I smile at them, and look in front of me, I notice that most of the fans are from Desportivo. I wonder what I’m doing here, at other times I would never be watching a game from this team, but what can I do? I fell in love with one of their defenders, and I couldn’t deny a request like that, after all, it’s his first Champions League final, it’s something important for his career.

The teams take the field, and that wonderful competition anthem rings out in the stadium, it’s really chilling, and I feel so sorry it’s not my team. The crowd is in an uproar. And I remembered what Dani said one day, decisive games are the best experience for those who play, and for the fans. It’s an amazing experience! The beginning of a match is always very nervous, there is a team that advances more, and another that only defends. And this one was no different. Club Nacional de Milan advanced with desperation in an attempt to reach the goal, something that was repeated for twenty-two minutes, and in the madness for the goal, their attackers were intercepted by the defenders, and they forgot the defense, and in the four attempts to counter attack, the Madrid team reached the goal first. Real Deportivo de Madrid 1 × 0 Club Nacional de Milan. The crowd goes crazy, and with them, my mother-in-law and my brothers-in-law too. I celebrate, even though I feel like a traitor, it’s for a good cause, isn’t it?

The second half is intense. Nacional wants a draw, but my boyfriend’s team defends very well, and once again the Italian team is careless on the counterattack, and succumbs to the Madrid team’s lethal attack. Real Deportivo de Madrid 2 × 0 Club Nacional de Milan. Real Desportivo de Madrid Champions League of Europe . Emotion takes over the stadium, the crowd cheers, cries, and desperately celebrates. That is a little strange for me, I never thought that one day I would support Desportivo. Only Raúl is capable of something like this… But that was only possible because my team wasn’t involved!

My mother-in-law and my brothers-in-law hug me, she seems the most emotional. It’s not every day that your eldest son is champion, in an expression team like this, and in a giant competition like the Champions of Europe. I look forward to seeing Raúl in the hallway leading to the dressing rooms, with his family and other players’ relatives. When my eyes find his bare, tattooed torso and a few drops of sweat running down his muscles, I’m in a state of delirium. Did it have to be that beautiful? He is embraced by his mother and brothers. It doesn’t take long to untangle himself from the family and hug me tight, I cling to him, and lightly kiss his neck. He’s sweaty, I don’t care, I want to feel him more. He pulls away and looks at me with a beautiful smile, which exudes happiness, is contagious.

– Congratulations my love!

I say it, and he continues to smile, smooths my face. I take your mouth in despair, it’s a kiss of happiness, reunion, longing. A mix of feelings is found in our kiss. I stop the kiss, I want to go beyond a kiss, but the moment doesn’t allow it. We backed off a little.

– I need a shower, are you waiting for me? – He says, and looks in the direction of his family. I shake my head in agreement. Before he goes towards the locker room, which is further ahead. An idea crosses my mind, and I call out to him.

– Raúl… – He looks at me, I approach him, and I ask for something. – Keep your match uniform in your bag!