The Malagueño midfielder, trained in the Zaragoza academy, returns to the club in Primera Federación. He assures that his priority is promotion, even if he doesn't play a single minute.
The Malagueño footballer Apoño, 36 years old, is back home. Not to the province of Málaga, but to the club that saw him grow as a footballer: Real Zaragoza. The midfielder, who was trained in the Aragonese club's academy and played in the Primera División, returns now to help the team in its fight for promotion to the Segunda División. And he does so with a clear message: humility and teamwork.
A Very Emotional Return
“It is a great happiness to return to my home, to the club I left, where I was trained, and for which I am so grateful,” Apoño declared at his presentation. The Malagueño acknowledges that the moment is complicated for Zaragoza, but he assures that it is time to step up. “If I have had the career I have had, it has been largely because of Zaragoza”, he added.
The footballer, who has played for teams like Málaga CF, Sporting de Gijón, and Betis, returns to a category he knows well. La Primera Federación is the new stage for a player who already knows what it is to ascend. During his time at Málaga, he achieved promotion to the Primera División in the 2018-2019 season, although that experience was as a loaned player.
Relationship with Ibai Gómez
One of the keys to his return is the presence of Ibai Gómez on the bench. The Zaragoza coach was a teammate of Apoño at Athletic Club, and now he will be his manager. “Now I will have as a coach someone who is a friend of mine, someone with whom I have shared a dressing room and I will also have the opportunity to learn a lot from him,” explained the midfielder.
Apoño does not hesitate to make himself available to the team, even if it means not playing. “I have already told Ibai that if he needs to take me by bus to Antequera and not play me for a single minute, let him do it,” he said with a laugh. The reference to the town of Antequera, where Antequera CF plays in the same category, is not casual: Zaragoza will visit the El Maulí stadium this season.
Experience for the Young Players
The Malagueño arrives with the intention of bringing his experience to the younger players in the squad. “Collective success in football is impossible to be solely attributed to one, two, or three; it is part of everyone,” he pointed out. Apoño sees himself as a sponge ready to keep learning, but also as a role model for the academy players.
“I will put myself at the service of each of my teammates and at the service of the club's employees. The day we ascend to the Segunda División, God willing, it will be because we have all contributed our grain of sand,” he added. Promotion is the objective, and Apoño does not want egos to hinder the path.
A Message of Optimism
The Malagueño midfielder wants to change the negative dynamic that has surrounded Zaragoza in recent years. “We are going to take a step forward, we are going to stop talking about the past, we are going to stop discussing what has happened in recent years, we are going to stop thinking negatively,” he urged. “I am a person who also believes in the positivity of people, in energy,” he added.
Apoño is aware of the difficulty of the category, but he trusts in hard work. “We are going to be aware that we are in Primera Federación, we are going to rise to the level of the category and put on our work overalls, which is not going to be easy,” he concluded. The Malagueño has already shown on other occasions that he knows how to overcome adversity.
The Bond with Málaga
Although his return is to Zaragoza, Apoño does not forget his roots. The player is from the province of Málaga, and his career has always been linked to the Costa del Sol. In fact, his most successful period was at Málaga CF, where he played 78 matches and scored 11 goals. Now, from a distance, he will continue to be a reference for the Málaga fans who watched him grow.
Zaragoza, for its part, adds a player of proven quality to face the challenge of promotion. The Maño fans already dream of seeing Apoño leading the team on the pitch, although he has already made it clear that what matters is the collective. The next stop, perhaps, is Antequera.
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