Antonio Raíllo faces a new LaLiga season with a mixture of excitement, responsibility, and pride.
Our center-back, who this season reaches the milestone of ten seasons at RCD Mallorca, has established himself as much more than a player: he's the captain, a leader on and off the field and the voice that sets the tone in the dressing room.
The season opener couldn't have been more challenging in FC Barcelona.
Raíllo is aware of the difficulty, but also the opportunity, of starting against the current league champions.
"We have to do very well against Barça. We know they're a top team in the world and that, a priori, they're much harder to beat than other teams," he begins.
"We're going to fight for it"
"The fans have to know that we're going to fight for it, we're going to give it our all, and they have to give that final burst, let them shout it out to you and believe it for you."
A statement that perfectly sums up the special connection between team and fans, that unity that has so often allowed Mallorca to surpass limits.
"An award that must not be forgotten"
Raíllo is focused on what is to come: "The goal is to improve on last season. We've come off a few years of coming up short, whether in the Copa del Rey or La Liga, one game away from Europe, but we're going to take it game by game. Obviously, the first objective is to stay in the First Division, which I hope will be achieved soon."
"We've been through tough times before, really. What we're doing now is a reward, and this award must not be forgotten, we must preserve it."
"We're going to reset and get back to what we've been."