Borja Iglesias was the happiest Betic on the Villamarín pitch. The Galician striker, on loan at Celta, belongs to the green and white club until 2027. He was happy, first of all, for the 2-2 draw against a theoretically superior rival. But also because the Heliópolis public showed him that, if he returns at the end of the season, he will have their support and recognition. Only a few spectators whistled for their interventions. When he was replaced, the audience, almost in its entirety, stood up and applauded the Panda. Borja responded by returning the applause and touching, with the palm of his hand, the left side of his chest, where his heart is. It is, to a certain extent, a mystery why certain players have a deep impact on the fans while others leave the fan indifferent or They even arouse some rejection. There are obvious factors: since the players are, to a large extent, the gladiators who represent the fans in each battle, whoever breaks his face for the respectable – like Natan the other day or Vitor Roque yesterday – usually arouses applause for his guts and commitment. In the city of Gracia, admiration is also generated by those who evoke in the fan the conviction that football—like bullfighting—is not just any job, but a context of creativity where a dribble constitutes an artistic deception: the player outwits the opponent. with a feint, as the bullfighter does with the animal in front of him, tempering with deception. That’s why the crowd went crazy when Lo Celso entered the field. No one ignores that, with him on the pitch, the afternoon of football can turn into a day of celebration. The Argentine is a first sword. Borja Iglesias did a discreet job. He gave an assist on a goal, but was offside. Of course, at no time did his smile disappear. The Santiago de Compostela player experienced scoring streaks at Betis that led him to the National Team and moments of drought that were decisive, ultimately, for him to be loaned to Leverkusen and, later, to the team where he trained in his youth: Celtic. But beyond his performance, the Panda is an affable guy who exudes simplicity, respect for his opponent, gratitude because life has allowed him to become a professional player and an infinite smile that reminds us that football is not just a job, but a game. Ronaldinho conquered us not only for embodying “jogo bonito”, but also for representing the joy of playing. The Panda expresses that, despite the fact that a lot of money moves in this business and there are those who consider football as a “serious thing”, it is still an entertainment, a spectacle, a festive context where you can experience communion with other fans, a stage extra-ordinary where we forget about ordinary hardships, a theater where each footballer plays a role. In that great theater of football, Iago Aspas has had to play the role of the villain in Villamarín. And, as such, he received a tremendous and unanimous boo when he was substituted in the 79th minute. The Celta striker applauded provocatively as he left, which further inflamed the local parish. The Panda, on the other hand, is very difficult to arouse animosity, because, despite the fact that his body is a real built-in wardrobe, his smile and friendly character arouses affection and tenderness. “He bulls as he is,” said Juan Belmonte. . Years later, there were those who adopted the matador’s phrase to football: “You play as you are.” There are footballers who communicate deep meanings, in line with their personality; others don’t tell us anything. Without a doubt, Borja belongs to the first. That is why people remember him, beyond the goals, and that is why they unanimously expressed to him from the stands: «Welcome, Borja; “This is your house.”
#joy #Panda
