Morata has given an interview to Cadena SER, in which he spoke about his decision to join Leganés, the Spanish national team, and missing out on the World Cup. This article is the first part of the exclusive interview.

How do you feel after joining Leganés?

Very happy. Ultimately, I think this is a fantastic project, and both the club and the owners are very committed. The entire project looks very promising. Since I signed, many players have shown interest in this club and asked me about the situation here. I didn't expect this transfer to attract so much media attention. I really like the way the club operates now, and I also like the staff here, as well as the atmosphere in the stadium.

Did you join Leganés simply because you wanted to play in Madrid?

Of course not. This was a decision I made based on a very promising project. I like this project, and I believe they will do things very well. The club's organization in every aspect surprised me greatly, and I'm surrounded by excellent professionals.

How did this transfer initially come about?

At the time, I had several options, including the United States, Mexico, and other countries. Then one day, I remember Juanma, my agent, telling me he had spoken with Leganés.

I always listen to people until they finish speaking, out of respect. Besides, Leganés is an excellent club, so they had to present me with a pretty good project. Later, I spoke with President Andrés for about 45 minutes during our first call, and it felt like time just flew by. I think they probably didn't expect me to accept so quickly.

Did you accept right there during that call?

Yes, during that call, I told them I was willing to come. I felt I could help them both on the pitch and in the dressing room. I think in our profession, people usually judge you based on what they see on the field, but really, it's much more than that.

For example, at Como, I felt my importance was much greater than what outsiders said. Because a team needs someone who cares about what happens in the dressing room, someone who doesn't only think about themselves. I always think about how to improve my teammates, and I think that's a good thing.

Is your goal at Leganés to be promoted to La Liga?

The goal is to win one game at a time. If you win two games, you might go up; if you lose two, you could drop right away.

We're all filled with enthusiasm, and everyone really likes the coach. He knows exactly when to be 100% committed to work, and also when to create a good atmosphere so everyone gets along. But the Segunda División season is really long...

How does it feel for a player like you to take the pitch wearing the Leganés shirt?

Only after I got home did I realize I hadn't been enjoying playing football this much for a very long time. I told Alice and my parents the same thing. Of course, there was one missing thing—if we could have gotten two more points, it would have been even better—but I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the match.

The last few years have been difficult for me, but now I'm very happy, and I think everyone can see it. I even enjoyed the away trip to the Canary Islands this time. If this had been a few years ago, I might have found such a trip much more bothersome. Now I simply enjoy these things in everyday life.

Why didn't you enjoy these everyday things before?

I suppose it's because ultimately, you slowly get used to everything, and you don't feel it as intensely anymore. You get used to being called up for the national team, and you get used to flying on private jets... But I'm very happy to experience these things again now.

I feel that this is a phase of my career where I've felt the greatest care from everyone. To be honest, when I decided to play in the Segunda División, that was something that worried me a bit. However, I have a lot of respect for all my colleagues who play in the Segunda División and work hard for promotion. There are also some teams here with really long histories.

Many people are surprised that a player who has won almost everything is willing to come here, so everyone appreciates you, right?

When you wear the Leganés shirt, nothing you've done before matters. The other day during the match, I felt like it was the first day of my professional career. I need to get to the training ground early, and I'm really eager to go now.

The other day in Las Palmas, I was in my room and couldn't even take an afternoon nap. This hasn't happened to me many times—at most before playing the Champions League final or the European Championship final.

It seems the current Morata doesn't care anymore about what others think of him... Why this change?

No, I don't think it's a change. I've simply realized that I can't change my history anymore.

Before choosing Leganés, I received an invitation from a coach I had a good relationship with, whose team could also participate in European competitions. But even if I had gone there and scored 20 or 30 goals, it wouldn't have changed my life. However, if I managed to achieve promotion to La Liga with this team, it could really make a difference. That's a completely different challenge.

Those who like me will always like me, and those who don't like me will continue not to like me, even if I win the European Golden Boot.

Exactly. I turned down some projects that could have participated in the Champions League for Leganés. But for me, my "Champions League" is making a decision that I consider very brave. I don't want people to think I came here just because I wanted to stay close to home. I came here for the project they have, and also because I hope to stay. Another point is that they've already shown me they really want me here.

How was your departure from Como? Was Cesc a strict coach?

I think the situation at that time wasn't right for me to stay anymore, and that's how things happened. But I can't say a bad word about Fàbregas. He's my friend and helped me a lot.

He's really excellent. I have no doubt that, if he wants to, he can stay at Como because he's completely prepared to coach any top club in the world.

I knew him as a teammate before, so sometimes I wondered how he would handle difficult moments.

But actually, there was no problem at all. He's a very intelligent person, and he's learned something from every great coach he's ever worked with.

Related reading:

Morata: Of course, I want to return to the Spanish national team, but honestly, the chances are very slim now.

Tradotto dall'IA.

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