"I thank God for the childhood I had playing with a ball in the street."

BarcelonaHe's Andalusian, wears the number 2 and celebrates goals like Gaizka Toquero, but if there's one Espanyol striker who reminds you of Roberto Fernández (Puente Genil, Córdoba, 2002), it's probably Raúl Tamudo, due to his mischievous style and ability to invent goals out of thin air. In just five months, the Andalusian has become one of the most successful winter signings for the blue and white club in the 21st century. He has five goals in 13 games, one more than RDT (2019-20), the same as Iván Alonso (2008-09), and just one more than Kalu Uche's six (2011-12) and Dani Osvaldo's seven (2009-10) in the century.

The most surprising thing, however, is that Fernández has achieved it with only seven shots on goal. That is, he has only missed two. Before receiving Betis this Sunday (6:30 p.m. LaLiga), the gunman He reflects on his early life at ARA and recalls his beginnings. "I'm tenfold in gratitude for having the childhood I had, always playing ball-and-ball in the street with lots of other kids. The afternoons were endless, my mother shouting at me and pulling my ears because I never got tired or stopped playing," he recalls. There he learned to be a cunning player. "On the pitch, I find myself in many situations that I learned and absorbed as a child on the street. I'm a hard-working forward who never stops running. I always go for every ball with faith, thinking that the defender or the goalkeeper will miss. You have to be alert; sometimes it works." The goals scored against Athletic Club and Celta Vigo, born from two pressing attacks, are good examples.

Espanyol called him last summer, when he was playing for Málaga, and he returned in January, after having lost prominence with the Portuguese club. "My situation there was a little complicated, being a different country, a different type of dressing room and football that you're not used to. But these are situations that life throws at you so you learn. Thanks to ten, I'm very happy here now," he says. Despite having other offers from the First Division to return to Spain, the good references from former Espanyol player Víctor Gómez and calls from Fran Garagarza and Manolo González were key in his decision to join Espanyol. "What surprised me about Manolo was the fact that, like me and other players, he comes from the ground up, as well as the desire he instilled in me to improve and make people better. Tactically, he's entirely responsible for the team's improvement and has the entire locker room involved, even the players who don't play. The team is very united, it's a family and all that."

Another factor that influenced his decision was the stands. "Espanyol is a historic club with a flamboyant fan base that I compare to Málaga's, and that has transmitted the same energy to me. In a city like Barcelona, ​​it's valuable to be an Espanyol fan. The club has a lot more fans than I imagined, and the entire club, from the hard-working staff to the coaching staff, has a humility worthy of admiration," he acknowledges. At 22 years old and with his whole career ahead of him, he admits he must improve "his movements inside the box to create more chances and also his finishing." Meanwhile, those close to him are concerned that he keeps "his feet on the ground."

Waiting for an agreement between Espanyol and Braga

The Andalusian admits he would like to continue at the RCDE Stadium beyond June, when his loan expires. "I see myself playing for Espanyol next season with Puado, with whom I've connected well, but also with other good players," he says, when asked about his future and that of his teammate in the Blue and Whites' forward line, who also contract ends in a month"I like stability. Footballers don't like moving from one place to another; we want to adapt to one place for several years," he admits. His future, for now, rests in the hands of Espanyol and Braga: "I have no idea if the clubs are talking; it's not up to me. My agent will let me know what options there are at the end of the season; I'm focused on playing and helping secure my chances of staying," he admits. Asked if it's necessary to ask Chen Yansheng to make an effort to retain him, Roberto Fernández smiles.