Javi and Ramón Vázquez on A Balón Parado
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RAMÓN AND JAVI VÁZQUEZ: HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF 35 YEARS LATER

13/11/2018
The father and son looked back at the unforgettable day of Javi's debut on 1 November, on SFC TV

It was a special night this Tuesday on A Balón Parado. Unlike always, there was no first team player on the set, at least not in the way we're accustomed to. Instead, there was a father and son duo, both from Alcalá de Guadaira and both having had the privilege of experiencing what it is like to defend the badge of their favourite team. Ramón and Javi Vázquez looked back at the debut of the latter, at the age of just 18, on 1 November in the Copa del Rey. An unforgettable debut, as confirmed by Javi himself, who just renewed his contract today: 'A lot's changed in these last two months. I'm very happy and I hope to continue like this. I'm happy to be able to stay at the club that has given me everything and I hope to continue improving.'

For his father, Ramón, his own experience and a father's pride come together: 'It's a mixture of emotions. You look back on those times and of course, I put myself in his shoes. Those nerves that grab hold of you... during the match I put myself in his shoes and that was what I feared the most.' However, everything changed as the minutes went by on the pitch: 'The whole family arrived at the stadium and we sat down behind the goal with all the Sevilla fans. I was nervous but I saw that little by little he started to do his thing, and I saw that he was fine. That calmed me down, but I always had those butterflies in my stomach.'

Ramón acknowledges that at home they have been going through the process 'naturally, but when you get to the reserve team you know that the opportunity can arrive at any time and you see it in a different way.' Javi, who still has a lot of work ahead of him, can only find words of gratitude: 'The confidence that the boss gave me is essential to feel comfortable and to show what you can do. I thank my family that came because I had a unique experience.'

An open admirer of Jesús Navas, because of what his figure means for any youth player but also because their roles coincide - although he plays on the left-hand side - Javi Vázquez also emphasised the camaraderie in the dressing room: 'At first, you're shy when you arrive because you don't know how they're going to react, but bit by bit they came to speak to me and it was apparent that they're normal people.' An unforgettable day, but one which will not stop the young fullback from thinking that his day to day work will still be with the reserve team, although his father's pride was clear for all to see: 'I've been at the club for more than 30 years and Sevilla has formed more than half my life. All that means that I go through all this with more intensity. I don't want to miss anything, because these are very important moments for Javier.'