Cádiz CF right winger Iván Alejo spoke to the media via video link on Wednesday, looking ahead to this weekend’s clash with Real Betis in LaLiga Santander. “The gaffer sees us train every day and he decides who plays,” Alejo said. “He’s in charge of managing the group and he knows best. I’m happy, I’m playing in the top flight – that’s something many people dream about doing. I’ll keep on training hard and try to make the most of the minutes I get. I understand my role. I’d like to play more, obviously, but first and foremost it’s about what’s best for the team.”
Accepting his role: “It’s true that when I’ve come off the bench, I’ve settled into the game better than when I’ve been a starter, for one reason or another. I guess the game tends to be more open in the second half and the football that gets played is better suited to my characteristics. My goal is to do my bit for the team whenever I get my chance. Everyone wants to play, but there’s so much at stake for this club and this city: we’re trying to stay in Primera after so many years away and it’s vitally important that you keep your focus on the group, not on yourself.”
Draw with Barcelona: “We went into the game on the back of a bad run, not only in terms of results but also in terms of performances. In a team like this, conceding so many goals was something we just weren’t used to. So coming away from the Camp Nou with a point was a massive morale boost for us, because it’s something nobody expected us to do. We kept going right to the very end, and we knew if we stayed in the game right to the end, we’d have a chance. We’ve got really good players in attack and managed to get a point thanks to the penalty won by [Rubén] Sobrino. We’re desperate to build on that good result against Betis.”
Happy at Cádiz: “I’ve always been happy here. I think I’ve found a degree of emotional stability here that I had been looking for for a while. I was close to leaving in the January transfer window, but in the end I stayed. I’m really happy here and at no point did I agitate for a move; nor did the club try to push me out. It was just an opportunity that came up during the transfer window. We all looked at it and that was as far as it went. I understand my role here. I’m looking forward to the rest of the season; hopefully I’ll continue to get game time and I’ll be able to do my bit for the team. My head is firmly in Cádiz.”
Good atmosphere in the squad: “It feels like a bit of a cliché to say the atmosphere in the dressing room really helps the team, but it’s true. In other squads, there are all sorts of problems when you lose a game: fights, bad blood… Here, you come off the pitch and you’re down, obviously, but you see the look on [head coach Álvaro] Cervera and [assistant coach Roberto] Perera’s faces and they settle you right down. There are players here with a lot of experience, like [Álvaro] Negredo, [Juan] Cala and José Mari. They have such a positive influence. Seeing such a united squad gives you real peace of mind and helps so much. Everyone helps each other to keep a cool head.”