Right-back Iza Carcelén spoke to Cádiz's in-house media team ahead of Los Amarillos' matchday-three clash with Sevilla. “We’re getting to grips with the tempo of the top flight; it’s very different to Segunda,” he said. “You notice the concentration levels that this league demands of you, and of course you also notice the step-up in physical terms. At this level, you can’t afford to switch off for even a second.”
In LaLiga Santander, mistakes come at a greater cost than in LaLiga SmartBank, Carcelén continued: “You get punished for making errors in Segunda too, but you get more chances. In Primera, all it takes is one slip-up.”
Cádiz now face a new type of pressure following their promotion from the second tier, the 27-year-old added. “In Segunda, you had the pressure of having to win week in, week out,” he explained. “In Primera, you have to claw together as many points as you can and when you win, it’s doubly pleasing. In Segunda, you’re under pressure to win every game, while in Primera you don’t have that pressure to always get the three points, because that’s too tough an ask.”
Playing in LaLiga Santander is a dream come true, Carcelén says: “Every player wants to reach the highest level. I’ve had some real lows in my career, suffering two consecutive relegations, but nevertheless I’ve always felt confident about myself. We had a great season here at Cádiz last year and managed to get promoted, and I’m really happy. Hopefully I can stay at the club for many years to come.”
The fans will be sorely missed when Cádiz host fellow Andalusians Sevilla, he admits. “It’s a shame not having the supporters in the stands because that really adds intensity to a derby day,” he said. “The stadium would be pretty much full to bursting, Sevilla would bring fans too and it would have been special to play the game under those conditions. After the game [on matchday one], I remember one of the Osasuna players saying something to me about the lack of fans in the stadium. You notice it a lot. Playing at the Carranza without fans in the stands is not the same as playing there with them.”
Cádiz have a clear idea of their strengths as a team, Carcelén concluded. “Top-level football is becoming pretty physical,” he observed. “Getafe have been playing that way since they got promoted to Primera and they’re getting good results. Every side has to use the weapons it has at its disposal. We have ours and hopefully they’re enough to keep us in the division.”
