"Everything will depend on what the club wants and can do, but we need new signings." That was Bordalás' latest lament at the start of the winter transfer market, before Ángel Torres brought in Martín Satriano, Sebastián Boselli, Zaid Romero, Veljko Birmancevic, and Luis Vázquez. Since their arrival, Getafe has not lost in six out of seven matches and has achieved four victories. "The club was in a complicated situation, needing energy, and I think we took on that responsibility very well," says Vázquez to EL MUNDO.
The Argentine is a 1.90-meter tall guy with a commanding presence, but slimmer than Satriano, whose legs seem like ship steel. Both walk through a Coliseum under construction to meet with various media outlets before the match against Atlético de Madrid this afternoon. "We know it's going to be a tough match, but we've been working these days, preparing for the game, knowing how we can hurt them, how we can defend, and how we can attack," explains the striker.
There is no fear in a team that took three points from the Bernabéu but has only beaten Atlético once since Diego Simeone arrived. They know their strengths, even if they are not always liked. "Everyone has their excuses, but it's our way of playing, and that's how we've achieved good results. What others say shouldn't concern us," explains Vázquez, who fits like a glove into that philosophy because he considers himself a "warrior" on the field.
Due to his style, battling spirit, a headache for defenders, a breath of fresh air for the team's attacks, and his performance. In his debut, he played almost 90 minutes and scored a goal. "I came with that hunger of not playing, and having the opportunity to play the first match, I think that gave me relief knowing that they could count on me," says a player who has scored two goals in seven matches with Getafe.
The Argentine arrived on loan from Anderlecht, a team that has experienced greater glory moments but is currently fighting for the top spots in the Belgian league. He found that Getafe's battle was different. "I knew what I was coming for, what the club needed, so I came prepared to give my best," explains the battle to avoid relegation in which the club has been involved for several years and now seems easier with 35 points, 10 above the relegation zone.
But for Vázquez, Getafe's situation didn't matter; he liked what his agent told him, that it was "a very humble club, like a family," and also that it played in the Spanish league, one of his childhood dreams when he kicked a ball through the streets of Recreo in the Argentine city of Santa Fe. "When I arrived, I found a very nice group, with teammates who helped me from day one and gave me confidence. I think confidence is very necessary for players," says the footballer.
The forward laughs when Nyom, Djené, and company give him "a kick" in training and assures that he also warns them that he will be tough, but it always stays on the field. However, in terms of quality, he states that his teammates Luis Milla and Mauro Arambarri are the ones who have impressed him the most. "It's very impressive how they give their all, how they play, how they run, so that also stands out a lot," he explains about the dedication of his two colleagues. Milla, in fact, walks behind him at the Coliseum as he has finished his interview. The Spaniard seems like the younger brother of Vázquez even though he is 31 years old and the Argentine is 24.
It has been two years since the forward crossed the Atlantic, but a little longer since he managed to retire his parents. Vázquez, who has 10 siblings, is aware of his family's sacrifices with materials, trips, support... for him to succeed in a sport that his two sisters also play. "My father is getting old, my mother too, so I'm happy that they are calm at home, and it's up to me to support them day by day in football," concludes this warrior.