Real Madrid

You’re going back to Real Madrid. Home turf. I guess that’s got to feel quite special.

I am really excited and very happy. It’s all been so quick. I’ll have to get used to it. To go back to my club, the club I love, where I grew up and got trained is beautiful and something really special. I’m going to make the most of this opportunity I’ve been given and thank all those that have made this signing possible.

You’re back in Santiago Bernabéu. What are your memories of this stadium?

As a rival player the matches against Real Madrid were all memorable, especially here in the Bernabéu. I was here for a long time. I have shared so many experiences, almost all good ones, and personally and professionally it’s a great pleasure.

It’s all been very quick. How have the last 24 hours been for you?

I found out from the media that Real Madrid were looking for a goalkeeper and I was in the running. Yesterday my agent told me that he was in Seville with Del Nido, looking at the possibility of a happy ending. By the end of the day it was all confirmed and you can imagine the rest. Hours with no sleep, having to say goodbye to mates in Seville, travel up and be here. I don’t have any other words other than those of gratitude and excitement.

You have extensive experience with Spanish football and you’ve come to share it with the team.

At Real Madrid it took a lot out of me to get me to the top. It was a hard path to tread and I had to work a lot and put in a great deal of effort. Having already been in the first team I trusted the coaches and the president. I left last time because it was tough competing with Iker and I thought I’d have more possibilities elsewhere. I was at Villareal for five amazing years, except for the last one which wasn’t at all great, but I did manage to play in the Champions, loads of matches in Europe and go international. The last six months have possibly been the worst. I’m really longing to help the team, my club, to get what they’re aiming for.

You’ve played in the Champions with Villarreal and now you’re in the last sixteen with Real Madrid against Manchester.

The Champions is a really special league and more so playing for Real Madrid, as we’ve won it the most and we’re always in with a good chance. To take part and play against the European clubs with Villarreal gave me the experience I needed to take on the competition.

You’ve worked with Casillas and Adán. How would you describe them?

I can’t describe Iker because everyone knows his huge value. Adán has always stood out, even as a youngster, and I remember that even I started to train him up when he was 15 and I was helping out as a coach for the academy in my spare time. He’s really come on, he’s got great skill and it just goes to show the enormous amount of home-grown goalkeeping talent that the club has. There are three of us and between us we must defend the goal really well and help out the team.