"I have a great deal to thank this club and these people for, because without Real Zaragoza I would never have become a professional footballer. And at this very difficult moment, I think all of us, the fans included, have a responsibility to help the team. Probably, this is the most difficult moment in our history, being in the third division, since this had not happened for 75 years," Ander told Rio when asked why he had decided to return home.
Regarding the fact that he is not being paid during his time in the Aragonese capital, he once again explained that "I feel very proud of my career, both in football and financially, so I don’t need it. I wanted to play for free at home, in my city, to return to professional football."
"AYALA TOLD ME I WAS PLAYING LIKE SHIT"
During a reflection shared by Ander and Ferdinand, the names of Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial came up. They are two talents who failed to live up to the expectations placed on them when they first emerged at a young age. Regarding the Frenchman, the Real Zaragoza captain said that criticism from coaches did not sit well with him, something the midfielder considers far from positive.
"Players have started to become too thin-skinned because it used to be normal to argue in the dressing room. In the football environment I grew up in, it was normal for a veteran to tear you apart and you had to accept it," he added.
Ander also spoke about the words Ayala directed at him when he was captain of the blue-and-white club. "He told me in front of everyone that I was playing like shit, and that helped me improve as a player," said the midfielder, who believes that accepting criticism in this way is a fundamental part of players’ development as they strive to reach their potential.
