Juanpe Ramírez: "The people who are coming to Girona now haven't had to sweat as much as we did."

GIRONAJuanpe Ramírez, the player who has been with Montilivi the longest, since 2016, and the ninth Girona player with the most appearances, 264, could bid farewell to the club on Sunday against Atlético de Madrid (2 p.m., Movistar LaLiga). We say this conditionally because, despite the end of his contract, no one takes anything for granted. He may not continue, but he may also extend his beautiful relationship a little longer. The two parties will meet shortly.

There's a picture of you in Valladolid, the day you secured your permanence, in which you literally fly.

— That's the magic of photography, the jump was minimal [laughs]. That's when we were free.

Did you imagine suffering so much, again?

— We hadn't won in a long time, and the pressure was growing. We knew it was either there or we'd be playing for it on the final day. Now we're relaxed, and it seems like nothing has happened because we have a couple of games left, but it's been incredibly tough. The feeling was terrible at times, like we didn't think we'd even be able to draw a match. But we've turned it around, with hard work and dedication.

It's exciting to see the way people like you, Portu, Stuani, and Juan Carlos defend the coat of arms.

— We feel it, it's a very strong feeling. Girona is a place of hardship. Even this season, which was meant to be enjoyed, ended up being a tough one. We didn't want to let the league slip away, especially given the trajectory we've had.

With all the years you've been here, and again you've had sleepless nights.

— Yeah, yeah. It's incredible. This doesn't change. When things aren't going your way, you go to bed and can't sleep, it's impossible. You question everything, you go over every detail. I didn't want to end the season crying. Relegation with Eusebio was on my mind a lot, because there were so many parallels. The past kept repeating itself, and it was inevitable to keep that in mind. But now it's over, we're saved.

Will it serve as a wake-up call for the First Division to be valued more?

— I think it will only be appreciated with time. We'd really like to see Girona take another step forward and stabilize among the top teams or even be seen more often in Europe, but I've had a fixed training ground. I've had to sweat as much as we have [referring to him, Portu, Stuani, or Juan Carlos] to get them into the First Division. They don't have that dimension because they've been made elsewhere.

There is a generation that has only breathed Girona sentiment.

— It all stems from the first parade, in 2017, which still gives me goosebumps. That's where the city changed. At first, in the stands, I saw how the majority were older people, the same old people; and the stadium wasn't packed. That's no longer the case. What I'm most proud of is having done my part to make the people of Girona Girona their own. Every tear I shed was worth it, and now we've turned them into joy.

Are your children—one will be six and the other is four—aware of what their father does?

— They're still young, though they're starting to understand. At first, we showed them photographs, but they thought I was doing like them, putting on a team jersey and going out to play in the park (laughs). One day I took them to training, and they saw that the theme was different. The little one wants to be like me. They're always talking about Girona: at home, at school, around the world... They'd recognize the crest from ten kilometers away.

I don't know about the park, but you scored a fantastic free-kick in the only Champions League win...

— It was incredibly special. When I put the ball in, everyone started chanting my name. I knew it was the perfect free kick. And when it went in, everyone went crazy. I was amazed at that celebration. And I've received videos of that shot from every angle.

You are very loved in the city.

— My personality fits perfectly with that club's. I don't care what happens to me as long as the team wins. If Girona wins, I'm the happiest person in the world. Look at last year; I've rarely enjoyed myself so much, and I wasn't even in the starting eleven. Other players don't feel that way; they prioritize themselves and prefer to score two goals, even if their team loses. What I've done at Girona, today, given the state of football, is unthinkable for any player. It's a lifetime.

Your contract ends in June. Have you made any decisions?

— No, not yet. We're waiting until the end of the league to talk. Then we'll see what's best for each of us. Right now I just want to enjoy Sunday.

Have you considered the scenario, however, of having to leave?

— It will be very difficult for me not to be there when the time comes… Not to wear these colors, to wear other clothes, in another place and with other people… But I am also aware that sooner or later it must pass and I will have to accept it more.