AAlbert Lopo (May 5, 1980) found football again thanks to Gerard Pique’s Kings League. Hand in hand with Pío FC, a team chaired by the Mexican Rivers, the former player of Espanyol, Getafe and Deportivo de la Coruña among others, enjoys a second key youngster in a team where he is even sees taking penalties, something unusual knowing his defensive facet throughout his career.
The player attended Marca and he talks to us about how he sees this new adventure and analyzes his team’s chances of being in these playoffs that give access to the final phase at Camp Nou before, among other things, the duel which will take place against Porcinos and Ronaldinho.
Q. How are you experiencing this new stage?
A. I’m happy, it had a huge impact, honestly I took it as playing and enjoying football, that’s what I like and not thinking about anything else. It’s been an accumulation of things and I’m happy with how it’s all going.
Q. Was everything happening with the Kings League expected?
A. No. No one expected it to have this impact, many players took it as an opportunity. Other players, like me, are more in “leisure” mode to continue having fun and playing what we want, but I don’t think anyone at this stage can imagine the impact this has had on the level of everything, media, international and level of development. .
Q. What is your favorite letter?
A. The penalty. The normal penalty, as I usually throw them…that’s how I’m encouraged.
Q. How was this process to sign Pío?
A. It was easy because precisely a teammate with whom I play at Espanyol veterans proposed this idea to me above. I also had no idea what was going to have all of this. He told me about the league, which Pique was going to chair. with youtubers who were also going to be presidents and they were going to play on Sundays. And I thought “why not?” and it all started there. Nothing more. It was the process.
Q. Did you speak with Rivers?
A. Yes, I spoke. He came once to see us play. She only came once because of course the poor thing is in Mexico. This week he comes against Porcinos to see if we can dedicate a win to him. She’s a very nice girl, she always supports the team. For us it is the milk that knows about us, even in the worst moments when we were not earning anything, she was the first to be there to encourage us.
Q. You must take a penalty…
A. If Rivers is encouraged to take the penalty, we will support her and try to help her score. If you mark it, fine and if not, absolutely nothing happens. this is a game and we are here to have fun.
Q. You were the team with which, perhaps, the football and the results were the most unfair, don’t you think?
A. I completely agree. As in this league you can only win or lose… per match you could have three draws. We won two, so we certainly wouldn’t be second to last. This is the format that exists. I know we had some bad luck with officiating in their time, a few actions that penalized us. We were lucky to get out of it, especially mentally. Let’s see if we can get a third one this week.
Q. Which Pío player surprised you the most?
A. The truth is that they all surprised me. I wouldn’t say one. just the fact of not winning a lot of games and realizing that it can be done, it can be done and that the change in attitude already says a lot about the team. I’m happy for them and I stay with them all.
Q. Which player from another team would sign for Pío?
A. I would sign Hugo Fraile. Firstly because I know him, he is a spectacular boy. I met him at Getafe, I have a very good relationship, he’s a great footballer. If I could, I would bring it to Pío without thinking about it.
Q. Do you see yourself in the playoffs?
A. I hope so. The playoff thing is something that exists – It’s difficult because we started a little late. Mathematically it is possible and we are very happy that it can be done.
Q. What would you say to Rivers if the team enters the Camp Nou stage? What can I promise you?…
A. She promised us that if we entered the playoffs we would go to Cancun so, better than that to have the motivation… especially for the boys. It would be a prize for everyone.
Q. Apart from Pío, which team do you think is the most undervalued?
A. I think Troncos has a good team and when Verdú is there he always gives him a plus. It’s also in the lower half and I think it could be higher.
Q: By the way, how did you view the Con Spursito, Juan and Titos controversy the other day?
A. In any sport there are always controversies, disputes, one always gets injured, the other takes advantage… that’s part of football. I think we need to normalize. Let’s not cross the line, it’s a game, don’t go crazy.
P. Are you one of those who talk a lot with the referee? How is this communication going in the Kings League?
A. Yes, I usually speak. They’re usually quite friendly in that sense, they tend to make small talk, they explain the game, why they’re whistling. There are good vibrations between the referees and the players.
Q. And does Ronaldinho’s bombshell seem surmountable to you?
A. The truth is that in this championship format, it’s a surprise every day. It’s one of the big ones. Not just for the player but for everything that will continue to move in this league.
P. I’ve felt it before, haven’t I? What did you think of your arrival the day they faced Porcinos?
A. Yes, I felt something, there were rumors that it could be that player, but hey, we played against Porcinos, not just against Ronaldinho. We to ours. They imagine the same thing. Bringing Ronaldinho back to the league will be spectacular. It will be fun to play.
Q. What memories do you have of your confrontations with him?
A. When we played against him in his day, he was like Messi now. The best player in the world was him. He was the best. There is always a particular motivation and playing against the best is fun and if we have the opportunity, he will defend his and we will defend ours.
Q. Do you foresee any other bombs from any team or from La Liga by the end of the season?
A. I don’t know (laughs). We will see as we go.
Q. What did you think of Ibai and Casillas?
A. It’s part of the show. It’s part of the fact that they are both La Liga presidents. We are not going to meet them now. It was part of the show.
Q. Already in the language of traditional football, how do you see Espanyol and Getafe?
R. Espanyol better now, the victory in Elche gave us more peace of mind. Getafe more of the same. They beat Valencia to a minimum, which was also an emotional and qualifying balsamic victory. There is a lot left, no one can relax. Everything is equal. Let’s see if they can be saved. I hope and wish…
Q. What about Depor?
A. I hope he can get the promotion he deserves and be where he deserves, which is with the biggest in La Liga.
Q. What did you think of Lucas Pérez’s decision?
The decision he made was spectacular. It was a courageous decision, with emotion and taken with heart. When all of this comes together, it’s the best thing that can happen to a team and even more strengthened with a player like Lucas Pérez.
Q. To conclude, would you take any Getafe or Espanyol player to Pío? Whose?
A. Maybe yes, but since you can’t… (laughs). From Espanyol, I would surely take Darder for the state of form. From Getafe, we always need someone seasoned like Damián Suárez, who is a bulldog and always useful for all teams.