Almost a week before Russia invaded Ukraine, Juanjo Catela and Chino were free again after the Russian Dinamo Samara, which had paid its terms (both were active in Via Albali Valdepeas), was dissolved following the arrest of its owner Igor Karpov, imprisoned in his country on bribery charges. Both were able to continue their futures: Chino will end up at Jan Paraso Interior, Albacete FS is leaving and Catela will end up at Bara.
Catela’s beginnings as a Barça player were not easy, because it was difficult for him to produce the performance that Jesús Velasco expected of him, a decisive factor in his integration into the Barcelona discipline. Little by little, based on work, Catela changed the perception one might have of his physical condition until he became one of Bara’s most crucial players.
This is how the titles arrived: The Catalan Cup began a tally that continued with the Super Cup, the Copa del Rey, the La Liga top scorer and now the Spanish Cup, which, as Juanjo Catela recognizes: “allows me to close the circle, but We have to keep going.” “I’ve had good moments, but being in the best team in the world is a bonus. I’m very happy, the team deserved it and always believed in it during the game. Now.”, Let’s enjoy.”
He doesn’t keep track, but this Spanish Cup is the 38th title in the long career of Jesús Velasco, who has won them in Spain, Italy and France. An account that even he doesn’t keep. “Do you know the number?” he asked Barça’s press officer Jordi Nomdedeu.
Of course it is clear that whoever won in Cartagena: “It is the most complicated title I have won in my entire coaching career. I don’t know when the game will take place again because so much has happened.”
It’s clear that Bara has the winning gene led them to winning the Spanish Cup: “The team believed in their possibilities. We showed that we are a championship team, even though sometimes we don’t win because our rivals were better.”
Jesús Velasco’s future could lie in the Spanish team But he also has the Barça renewal offer that Jordi Torras presented to him. Everything will depend on how the deadlines fit.
