Speaking to the club’s in-house media team, defender Rafael Giménez Jarque, better known as Fali, offered his thoughts on Cádiz CF’s season.
Overall assessment
“It was a fantastic season,” Fali said, explaining: “We were a newly-promoted side and for many of us it was our first time playing in the Spanish top flight. We were all but safe with four games still to go – that says a lot about the season we had.”
Season highs and lows
“At the start of the season we lost to Osasuna, but then we picked up a lot of points away from home and that good run gave us real confidence,” he said. “Our worst point of the year was a dip in results that we had midway through the campaign – but we managed to overcome it.”
Assessment of his season
“I’m really pleased with my season, because I got a lot of game time. It was my first experience of life in one of the world’s top leagues and I loved every minute of it,” Fali said. “I think I did pretty well, although that’s also down to the team around me.”
Ambitions for next term
“We want to carry on in the same vein and achieve the club’s objectives,” he said. “We have to focus on staying in the top flight and that won’t be easy, because the other teams know more about us now. Hopefully I can do my bit for the team.”
Memorable moment of the season
As a Valencia native, Fali had no hesitation in choosing Cádiz’s visit to Mestalla. “That was a big deal for me,” he revealed. “Everyone has dreams and when you make them a reality, you feel proud about that. I’ll never forget going to Valencia’s ground.”
Cádiz’s season in one word
“Ambition – that was the chief driving force in our dressing room,” he declared. “We were desperate to make it possible for our fans to be at the ground next term [with Cádiz in the top division]. Hopefully we can fill the Carranza and all be together again.”
