Frank Castañeda, the Colombian captain of Sheriff Tiraspol, affirms, in conversation with the AFP, to be living a dream with the good campaign of his club in the group stage of Champions. “We are living a dream and I try to assimilate it.
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After a few months I will realize the magnitude of what we did, how it was to beat Real Madrid in their field, and what we are doing in the Champions League, “explains the 27-year-old forward.
After two games in the Champions group stage, the Moldovan team leads the D bracket with six units, three more than the second, Real Madrid, awaiting the third date, where the Sheriff faces Inter in Milan on Tuesday.
European success is coming to Castañeda, who was trained in the Deportivo Cali quarry, without ever having played in the Colombian first division. After two seasons in the Orsomarso, of the series B of Colombia, he made the leap to Europe, to the Slovakian Senica, in 2017, to pass in 2020 to the Moldovan Sheriff Tiraspol, where he is serving his second season.
“I don’t see this good moment as a rematch. At Deportivo Cali I couldn’t make my professional debut and you have a bitter taste left because I wanted to make my debut in the team of my loves and it couldn’t. But having reached a Champions League match on the field of Real Madrid and beating him exceeds all expectations as a professional player, “he explains.
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“There it does not matter if you wanted to debut in the team of your loves or in another. What matters is what you are living, which surpasses everything in the past,” he adds.
Castañeda hopes to continue growing
Sheriff Tiraspol celebrates his win against Shakthar Donetsk in the Champions League.
The Colombian striker, top scorer in the Moldovan league last season, with 28 goals, decided to leave Colombia after seeing that no opportunities came to him.
“I think that from my side nothing was lacking, since I had the great opportunity to stand out in the B. But Colombia is a country of great talent, with many players who are lost, unfortunately due to lack of opportunities, and among them was me, that I was in B and that opportunity did not come to me in A.
Maybe that’s why I had to go to Europe. “Now, after making a name for himself in Europe, he dreams of one day playing for the Colombian national team and for this he thinks he should continue to grow in Europe.
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“It is a dream that is still latent, which I want to fulfill, but I am aware that everything is a process and I have to wait for the moment that touches me. I have to keep working hard, take the step of playing for a bigger team in Europe, to continue growing and I know that the call of the selection is going to give “, affirms.
“When you do great games, when you keep showing that you can do great things, you will always be in the eyes of the national team and that’s what I want to keep doing, keep working hard, and when the time comes, be prepared to be in the national team. “he insists.
Castañeda thinks about the winter market
If the Sheriff achieved the feat of going to the last 16 in the Champions League and Castañeda got an offer from a more powerful club in the winter market, he would have a difficult choice.
“If the pass were made to the second round, my dream is to be in the national team and I am aware that you have to be in a much bigger league to have a calling. What I have always done as a player has been to pursue my dreams and in that is continuing to grow as a player and being able to participate in one of the big leagues in Europe. I think I would lean more on this side, “he explains.
“Now I am focused on the Champions League. I think that when you are doing well in the Champions League, the proposals will come,” he adds.
For now, on Tuesday, against Inter, he will be able to meet one of his idols, the Chilean Alexis Sánchez. “He is one of my favorite players and I have followed him for a long time. I hope I have the opportunity to change the shirt with him. I have his videos, his goals. He seems to me an extraordinary player. And he plays in the same position as me,” he concludes .
AFP
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