Alex Baena’s summer move from Villarreal to Atletico Madrid was seen as one of the moves of the transfer window, with the Spain international having been one of the best playmakers in La Liga during his time at La Ceramica. However, there was a time when he may not have ended up at the RiyadhAir Metropolitano.
Speaking to EFE (via Marca), Baena revealed that he considered quitting football during the 2023-24 season, but with the help of his family, friends and a psychologist, he found the strength to continue playing.
“After losing the final with the U21s (in 2023) and after my first call-up to the senior team, I was in a bad personal moment, even with thoughts of quitting football, of leaving everything. But with the help of a psychologist, with whom I have been working for a long time, with my family, my mother and my siblings, I was able to get out of all those thoughts, of that bad moment. We were all able to get out of it together.
“People only see the good, that they know you on the street and think that it is positive, although it is not. The issue of money, that you live very well… but they don’t know the bad thing behind it. Being 24 hours aware, taking care of yourself, traveling without seeing your family, not being able to do what your friends do because you have to take care of food and rest. You only see the beautiful, but football is very hard. Only those who are close know it. Although we are privileged, there is still a bad part and a good part.”
Baena: “I haven’t heard anyone say that we want to be third”
Baena also reflected on his first few months at Atleti, as he also revealed that he and his new teammates are not prepared to play third fiddle to Barcelona and Real Madrid.
“I’m very comfortable. People talk without knowing a dressing room from the inside, Cholo, and think many things, but it’s all very different. He talks to me, he puts a lot of intensity into me, his talks are top, they make you go out on the field wanting to eat the world. He’s one of the best coaches in the world and people often believe nonsense that comes out in the press, things that aren’t true. If they were in the dressing room, they could talk about what Cholo is like.
“I haven’t heard anyone say that we want to be third. On the contrary, we are always with the message that we want to win titles, that we have to fight to win them – even though we are competing against Barcelona and Real Madrid, which is very difficult.”
