According to Sport, Cazorla gave a relaxed interview to 6 accompanying journalists at the Carlos Tartiere stadium, discussing retirement, future plans, and the current situation of Real Oviedo.

On Retirement

“Many people were surprised by my retirement. Indeed, I still love football and still want to play. I believe I can still contribute, especially after the team was relegated to the Segunda División. If the team had stayed in La Liga, I might have felt that staying on was beyond my capabilities. That’s the reality, and all parties must be respected.”

On the outpouring of affection received

“It’s hard to pick out just one thank you message. I started receiving so many messages, and I admit I shed a few tears. It’s hard not to be emotional. Especially the post my son made, which made me realize that all the effort I put into my career was worth it.”

Q: Do you feel the club didn’t do everything possible to keep you?

“I felt I could still play. If it were due to injury, or immense physical pain, that would be another matter… But the opposite was true. I was still playing at the end of the season and felt good. I still had that itch, wanting to try for another year.

Many times, outsiders say ‘it’s up to him,’ but it’s not that simple. This isn’t playing with friends at school; it’s representing a club. Everyone must be convinced that they’re moving in the same direction. It’s true that some things that happened last season made me realize that I didn’t have the role and importance I thought I should have. This can be respected, and there’s nothing to criticize.”

Q: What was the process like, from considering retirement to finally making the decision?

“There was a period during the season when I was very clear that I would retire, because I wasn’t playing much and felt I wasn’t important. I didn’t want to be a burden to the club; that’s how I felt at the time.

Later, the dressing room told me to wait until summer and not rush the decision, so I decided to listen to them. At the Bernabéu, I said I didn’t know what the future held and just wanted to enjoy the final stage of the season. My thoughts also changed during that time. I decided to wait until the last moment to see what the club wanted, so I put my farewell plans on hold.”

Q: Did the coaching staff influence your decision?

“This was a personal decision based on my feelings. Everyone respected me and was very clear, but ultimately the decision was mine. If I wouldn’t have the role I felt was appropriate, or if I would become a problem, then I would choose to leave. This was a completely personal decision, because I wouldn’t have an important role.”

Q: Have you spoken with Jesús Martínez (Real Oviedo's largest shareholder)?

“They did contact me on the day of the farewell. Jesús called me, but I received many calls that day and later put my phone aside, so I couldn’t answer. We exchanged thank you messages. We’ve maintained respect and friendship for these three years, and I’m very grateful for the way the club management treated me. I also want to thank them for their continuous concern for me at this time.”

On the conversation with Julián Calero

“The coach’s opinion was decisive for me because he’s the one leading the team. We didn’t spend much time together, but our relationship was deep and healthy. We talked a few days ago, and he told me his thoughts, which helped me make my decision. He was honest with me because I was hesitant at the time, and he helped me make the decision.”

Q: How did you feel yesterday when the team trained for the first time without you?

“Some feelings are hard to digest. Indeed, I’m no longer in the daily life of the team, but I still follow the team on social media, and when I see my teammates, I still feel that urge because I still feel it. I’ll face it as best I can, try to distance myself a bit, pay less attention, because I genuinely still want to play. I’ll always feel like a footballer, and I have to learn to live with that feeling.”

On Future Plans

“I thank Real Oviedo for opening their doors to me, but my mind is still in player mode, and now is not the time to think about what I want to do. In the short term, I haven’t made any decisions in any direction, and I won’t start working at a club immediately. I want to give myself some time to see what I want to do, what projects emerge, and then make a decision. I’m not thinking about those things right now.”

Q: In a few years, what area would you prefer to work in?

“I think I’ll still be on the sidelines of the pitch, because that’s where my life ultimately lies. I’ll study and open myself to other areas to figure out what I truly like. But if I had to answer today, I’d say I want to join the coaching staff, live with the players, and feel the adrenaline of being close to the pitch. I think I’ll go in that direction, but I’ll also be open to all possibilities.”

Q: Did you ever consider finishing your career at another club?

“No, not at all. My dream was to end my career in my hometown, regardless of whether I received offers. I had no doubts and never considered leaving Real Oviedo to continue playing. I fulfilled my childhood dream, ending my career in my hometown. This journey ends here, and that’s what I intended to do.”

Q: Do you ever regret coming back?

“Quite the opposite, I should have come back sooner. This was the best decision I made in my life. Although relegation was painful, these three years were incredible. From a personal perspective, these three years were wonderful, even better than I dreamed when I came back. Being able to help the team get promoted to La Liga as a participant after so many years is something I will never forget.”

Q: What did the locker room say to you?

“Actually, there wasn’t much time. Because I had a meeting on Thursday, and my teammates had physical tests on Saturday. I had to make a decision before the weekend, and I didn’t know what would happen. The next day, I talked to a few teammates, so they came to see me when I was on vacation with my family in Llanes. I couldn’t inform them too far in advance because everything happened too quickly.”

On the free-kick against Almería

“For some reason that day, I had a feeling that things would go well, and I would play an important role. We were lucky to get that free-kick just outside the box, and it went in, helping the team reach the promotion playoff final. That was a unique and unrepeatable moment that I will remember for a lifetime. Coupled with the penalty in the final against Mirandés, these are the two most special moments of my professional career at this club. When time passes, and after I truly retire, I will understand more clearly what I experienced.”

On the goal against Mirandés

“The night before the final, I had a hunch there might be a penalty, and I told my teammates. I asked the goalkeepers, saying I wanted to shoot the ball down the middle, and they told me it would be 100% in. That was a beautiful moment, and these details also show that we had a great locker room. That goal was also crucial for promotion to La Liga.”

Q: Please choose three moments from your career.

“Promotion with Real Oviedo, I would put that at the top of all my experiences. Additionally, I would choose winning the first European Championship in 2008 and my La Liga debut with Villarreal.”

On the core team from the promotion season breaking up last season

“Absolutely. Great teams win because they have a strong collective. PSG had Mbappé, Neymar, and Messi, but they didn’t win the Champions League; after they left, it seemed like a team where everyone worked in the same direction.

Only a collective can win championships and honors. Our Spanish national team, which won everything back then, had stars, but it was more of a united group, everyone willing to fight for each other. You can feel that in Real Oviedo too. When the team had dinner, no one went home first. Great collectives achieve goals.”

On the team losing local representatives

“Lucas Ahijado’s departure saddened me greatly, because of my relationship with him and because he had been at the club since he was a child. He was a benchmark for me, and the best example and mirror for young people, because he completed his career at the club he had belonged to all his life. He never created problems for the club and always met the demands on the field. I had hoped he would retire at Real Oviedo. We must wish him all the best, and I hope more Lucas’s emerge at Real Oviedo.”

On Guillermo Almada

“My relationship with the coaches has always been good. Many things were said externally, but I maintained respect with everyone. Almada was honest with me; he told me that, given what he wanted, I might not be as important as I hoped. This was difficult for me, because that period was tough both personally and collectively.

Seeing the team drift further from its goal pained me even more, because I wasn’t involved, couldn’t help them, and felt some guilt about the situation the team was going through at the time. This was also one of the reasons I decided to retire, because I didn’t want to experience that situation again.”

Q: Do you regret renewing your contract in La Liga?

“No, not at all. That’s what I wanted, and every time I make a decision, it’s because I truly feel that way. At the time, I believed I could continue playing. Some told me it was the perfect scenario for retirement, but I wanted to play in La Liga with Real Oviedo, for better or worse. I don’t regret it, even if the outcome wasn’t good from a collective perspective.”

Q: How do you view your son Enzo’s development process?

“Now I hope this doesn’t affect him. He expected me to play for another year, but I hope he stays calm and enjoys football. He’s at a very good stage of his sporting career, about to enter an age group he’ll enjoy more – the youth team stage. I just want him to enjoy it, to help and support him, and to let him extend his football journey as long as possible. I hope my decision not to continue playing doesn’t affect him too much. Now I’m also starting a new phase where I can enjoy spending time with him and more time with my family.”

Q: What steps does the club need to take to improve?

“If I were to give advice to the Pachuca Group, I would tell them to listen to the fans. These fans won’t let you down; even with relegation, the membership numbers exceeded 26,000. They must be satisfied and bring in those who are willing to give their all for the club.

The fans experienced the good side of the club being promoted to La Liga, and later felt some division because some things weren’t done well. Efforts must be made to improve. I’ve talked about this topic many times with Martín Peláez because we have a good relationship, and they are aware of this. Now, the fans must be convinced again, to rekindle their expectations, and build a strong squad with an excellent coach. But all this must be proven on the field. It’s very important to regain identification with the fans.”

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