ValentÃn Taty Castellanos (Mendoza, 1998) is living his best hours as a footballer. The Argentinian player landed this summer in Girona from New York City, a club owned by the same City Football Group, and thanks to his talent and above all to his tireless work in every match, he has become one of the fixtures in MÃchel’s plans , fashion trainer in Spanish football. Castellanos, whose frustrated reaction at Camp Nou went viral after conceding a clear chance against Barça, recovered, and in what way, by scoring four goals against Real Madrid.
Has he absorbed everything that happened in Tuesday’s game?
It’s costing me To have won a big one like Real Madrid and to have done it in this way… At least we will need two months to assess it and to realize the level we were at.
At least he will have slept better than the night of the game…
Yes, it was quite difficult for me, because you don’t score four goals for Madrid every day. It’s actually always harder for me to fall asleep after games, and more so when we play at night, because my head and body are still agitated. Luckily, I had a better time last night.
Are these four goals the most important he has scored in his professional career?
Certainly! In MLS I was able to score a poker of goals once, but now it was in La Liga, against Madrid, with our people… It can’t be compared to anything. It was one of the happiest days of my life.
What was going through your mind at that moment?
It was crazy, because I really wanted to see a goal in such a special game like this. And also a relief, because a striker always needs to score, and I already wanted to do it at Camp Nou. At the last goal I even laughed, because I didn’t even know how to celebrate it.
Was it his particular way of vindicating himself?
Yes, football, like life, often gives you revenge, second chances, and luckily I was able to get rid of Barça’s thorn. I’m always very self-critical of myself and I try to be the best, and I felt sorry that I couldn’t help the team that day with a goal that would also have given us victory against another great rival.
After this match, he burst into tears in the dressing room and his image went viral.
Yes, I saw the video… I was very upset with myself, but luckily I was able to score in the next game against Elche, at home, with the fans chanting my name in the 9th minute. Many people from Girona encouraged me and this also motivates you to continue. I am very grateful to them.
He even shut down social media. Why did he do it?
It wasn’t so much because of the bad or critical messages I might get, but because I did it for myself, so I wouldn’t see the play repeated over and over again. I preferred to disconnect from my people, my family and my friends, and focus on the things that do make me feel good.
With the four goals against Madrid, he has already scored eleven while wearing the Girona shirt. Would he have signed them when he signed in the summer from New York City?
Sure, but I’m also convinced that I can do a few more in these last remaining days. I arrived with the hope of being able to play a lot in one of the best leagues in the world, and not only am I achieving that, but I have also found Girona very good since I arrived.
You are on loan until the end of the season, and maybe matches like this week’s will change your life…
I don’t know… I’m now focused on the day to day, to finish the season in the best way with Girona, to see what position we end up in, no matter how much we’ve already practically made the permanence, and the future already we’ll see later.
But would you like to stay?
To me, yes. Now you can talk a lot, rumors can appear, but you have to be calm and keep your feet on the ground. It won’t change anything for me to score four goals in Madrid, as if it had been ten (laughs). Girona opened the doors to European football for me; I am very grateful to them and I am very happy and happy to be here. We are a family.
And if it’s possible with MÃchel as a technician, isn’t it?
He is a spectacular coach. He has very clear ideas and it’s incredible how he instills them in you, everything he knows about football and how to hurt the opponent. It has helped me a lot in my adaptation.
