In an interview replete with interesting anecdotes, Cádiz CF centre-back Fali Giménez spoke exclusively to the club’s in-house media department, discussing the team’s season so far and, above all, his career both before and after his arrival at the Carranza.
How things are going for him personally
On a personal level, I’m feeling great. I still can’t believe that at the age of 27 I’ve achieved my lifelong dream. Everyone aspires to play in LaLiga Santander. I have to pinch myself when I think: I do now. Millions of people want to play in the best league in the world and I’m among those who have managed it. I can’t help but break out into a chuckle when I talk about that with my family and with Choco [Lozano]. It’s a reward for the hard work I’ve put in and it’s exciting, and I’m going to make sure I make the most of this opportunity. Thousands of players would love to be in my shoes, so I’m working my socks off to help Cádiz stay in the top flight. I’m not going to let this opportunity go begging.
Highlight of Cádiz’s season in LaLiga Santander so far
We’ve beaten Real Madrid, we’ve beaten Barcelona, we’ve drawn at the Camp Nou… but my favourite moment so far is when we went to Valencia and got a draw at Mestalla. Before we went into the stadium, I told the club president that a few years ago I had a market stand outside the ground. We got up at three or four in the morning to sell figurines, vases and anything else we got our hands on. And there I was, about to play at this stadium. I told my granddad that one day I’d play there, and he’d laugh and say: No way – you stick to the market stand. I told the president that dreams do come true. You have to work really hard and get a bit of luck, too. You have to battle hard to achieve your dreams – really go at it. I’ve managed it and now I’ve got to do everything I can to help us stay up.
Happy to play anywhere on the pitch
Playing football is brilliant – I love it. It’s my life. Any time I can help the team to compete and perform well, I’m ready to play in whatever position I’m told. Footballers are selfish in the sense that they always want to play, and I’m no different. So I’ll play anywhere if it means I’m helping the team. Wherever the gaffer picks me, I’ll give my all for the good of the team.
Life in LaLiga Santander
Football has changed a lot. Teams are absolute machines tactically, and there are sides with so much quality. Nowadays, any player who doesn’t run himself into the ground isn’t likely to play. You can really see how football has evolved in terms of control over the game, the tempo of matches and how well-drilled teams are tactically. I saw really, really good players when I played in the second tier, but [in LaLiga Santander] there are teams who you know are going to win the tactical battle unless you do a lot to adapt your game. You have to be firing on all cylinders physically; even if you’re at 99%, that’s not enough.
Arrival at Cádiz
My departure from Nàstic didn’t go very smoothly because people wanted me to stay, but I owe the club so much. I wanted to carry on playing in the second tier and Cádiz gave me the opportunity to do so. I’m really grateful to Nàstic for being the first club that put food on the table for my daughters. But I couldn’t turn down the chance to play at Cádiz. I had moved into a flat in town and I watched the fans decked out in yellow on their way to pack out the stadium, and I thought: This is football. I couldn’t let this opportunity pass me by. I wanted to play in the second tier and at a club with Cádiz’s big ambitions, and I haven’t regretted that decision. We came up to the top flight and here I am.
Promotion to LaLiga Santander
The pandemic took a real toll on me and in those final 10 games of the season, I wasn’t able to help the team. I had played a lot before the pandemic and done well, but I wasn’t in the right shape in the run-in. I wasn’t myself; I wasn’t the Fali I know. Now I can look back on it and just be really happy that we’re in the top flight. We need to keep ourselves up by hook or by crook. This club needs to stay in this division so that we can share it with the fans. If they can’t come and watch us in the top flight this year, let’s make it next year.
His development under Álvaro Cervera
I’m really grateful to the gaffer. He has helped me to take my game to new places. It might seem like I’m a very physical player, but I spent two years with Barça B, where you weren’t allowed to thump it long. You had to play it short and keep the ball; it was a different style of football. After I arrived here, I played a couple of passes in-field to Ager Aketxe in a training session and the gaffer told me not to do that, to play it wide and towards the corner, that my focus should be on defending. The coach calls the shots, he’s the captain of our ship and I have to adapt to the instructions I’m given, whether they work or not. He puts them up on the whiteboard, he explains them to you and they get results. I’ve achieved a lot in five years here. He has helped me to see the game differently, and I have more faith in this brand of football than the other one. Atlético Madrid have no bones about putting six men in defensive positions. He has helped me to see a different kind of football that is very effective. Football is about winning. You have to be strong at both ends of the pitch.
The Cádiz dressing room
There’s such a great spirit in our dressing room; absolutely everyone contributes to that. I’ve been in some really good dressing rooms. We had a really good one at Nàstic, too. But we’re like a family here. Choco is like my brother – I love him more than some of my family! And as for everyone else, they’re more than just team-mates, too. It’s something we’ve all built together. It’s incredible. Our dressing-room spirit is our greatest achievement; we’re such a tight group. An atmosphere like this really helps to keep you in a great frame of mind.
Playing with Álvaro Negredo
He’s a very lucky boy to be playing with me [laughs]. Being in the top flight gives you the chance to play against top stars, but it also gives you the chance to get to know guys like Negredo. If you’d told me years back that I’d play with him, I wouldn’t have believed you. He brings so much to the team; he’s even given me boots. He’s a great lad. It’s a privilege to work with him day in, day out. I see it as an achievement that I’m playing with him. When he arrived, I was really pleased about it. To begin with, I was even a little bashful about talking to him. It’s great having him out there on the pitch. He’s a guy who’s won the lot, but who still gives absolutely everything. He does so much for the team. I really enjoy getting the chance to kick lumps out of him in training [laughs].
The Cádiz fans
I’d never seen a stadium full to bursting as a home player. When the fans are allowed back into the stands, it’ll be frightening: more than 20,000 people chanting and cheering us on. I have complete respect for every fan base, but there’s none quite like this one. We’d have more points than we do if our supporters were coming to see us play, no doubt about it. When we launch a counter-attack and the decibels start rising in the stands, that has an impact. We’d have more points. Fans not being in the stands has hurt us much more than other teams. We need our supporters; they’re our 12th man.
Message to the fans
I’d just like to say to the Cádiz fans that we’ll be together again soon and that we need you. We’re doing this for you: we’re going to achieve our goal of staying in the top flight so that we can all be together when next season gets underway and our opponents can feel the effect of our 12th man. We’re going to do it this season, for ourselves and for you.