Sergio Sánchez: Marcelino made me cry | OneFootball

"Marcelino was always upfront with me, so clear he made me cry several times, but there was truth in what he told me," said former defender Sergio Sánchez to El Cafelito. He was referring to his breakthrough under the now Villarreal coach at Racing Santander.

"I had childish attitudes," he admitted, saying the coach knocked the nonsense out of him within one year. The relationship gave him trust and continuity, and he responded with discipline.

Sánchez came through Espanyol’s academy and impressed in the first team with his versatility at right back and centre back. A move to Sevilla brought a significant step up, before injuries, including a delicate heart condition, halted his progress.

After overcoming that setback, he restarted at Málaga, helping a historic side qualify for the UEFA Champions League and establishing himself as a reliable defender.

He later moved abroad with Panathinaikos, then joined Rubin Kazan, where his spell was shaped by the club’s circumstances, before continuing with Cádiz and Albacete.

Sánchez retired on two November 2020 at 34. "Stopping suddenly is one of the hardest things an elite athlete can live through. Your whole life has that weekly feeling and suddenly there is silence. It is, what do I do?"

"Football gives you a sense of validation. When you stop being a footballer, what are you? Ex-footballer," he said. "I am learning to live with pause."

Source: Superdeporte