Cádiz CF full-back Alfonso ‘Pacha’ Espino spoke to the media via video link on Wednesday lunchtime. The Uruguayan, who recently extended his contract at the club until 2023, discussed how things are going both for him personally and for the team as a whole, and looked ahead to Saturday’s visit to Atlético Madrid. “When I first arrived here, the team were in the middle of their campaign so there was no pre-season in which to bed in, and I found it difficult to adapt,” he said. “But I managed to settle, we had a great season and won promotion, and now we’re in Primera.”
Espino spoke of his delight at renewing his Cádiz deal. “My family and I are really happy here; we really like this place and this club,” he said. “It’s a reward for the hard work I’ve put in. I’m really grateful to the club for the opportunity they gave me, and I try to repay that faith each and every day.”
Giving your all as a unit is the most important thing a team can do, he said. “If you work well as a collective and everyone works as hard as each other, you’re less likely to see weak spots. The most important thing is that we’re in good shape as a team, and that we focus on improving day in, day out and give 100%.”
The weekend trip to the Wanda Metropolitano is a very tough away assignment, Espino warned: “It’ll be a difficult game; we know what Atlético Madrid are all about. We’ll go after the three points by utilising the strengths we have. We’re determined to come away from there with a positive result. We’re a side who work really hard and have a very clear game plan - we all know exactly what the coaching staff want from us. We’ve got to know each other really well and as a team all know the job we have to do.”
Espino is set to face big-name fellow Uruguayans on Saturday. “I like coming up against my countrymen; it obviously adds a further source of motivation to the match against Atlético Madrid,” he commented. “That said, we have to be champing at the bit going into every game, of course, and if that weren’t the case we wouldn’t be having the season we’re having. We’re going to go out there to compete.”
Asked about his status as the only left-footed full-back in the Cádiz squad, Espino said: “It’s tricky when you don’t have anyone to provide you with that healthy competition, but I’m nonetheless focused on competing to the maximum and training as hard as I can to be on my game for the 90 minutes and to help the team in every way I can. I feel in great physical nick and hopefully that’ll stay that way.”