Xisco Campos says although getting the La Liga campaign off to a winning start against SD Eibar was important, RCD Mallorca must refocus ahead of further challenges - starting with Real Sociedad this weekend.
This Sunday will be the first meeting between the two sides for over five years, yet the club captain is no stranger to the goalkeeping quality Real Sociedad have among their ranks.
“To start by winning is good but we have to move on from that as we face a strong rival of ours with good players” he told the assembled press at a pre-match press conference. “Real Sociedad play very good football and we are expecting a complicated game. To play against Miquel Àngel Moyà is special, like it was playing against Iván Ramis last weekend - with both I have a very good relationship and we met in the youth teams here. I wish them best when they face us here.”
Xisco Campos’ last substitute appearance on the opening day may have been brief, but after 15 years since first debuting for his local side in La Liga, the defender says the fans at Son Moix made his fairytale return to top-flight football all the more special.
“We wanted the result, although we are happy for the debuts and for those of us that have returned to La Liga,” he continued. “After the game I received a lot of congratulations and I’m very happy with everything. Making my debut 15 years ago, I remember I was concentrating on what I had to do. Hector Cúper used to tell me this is opportunity is something I have to be proud of.
“The boss told me that in two or three years we could be in La Primera again and this is a vision that I made mine, even if before in the lower leagues I was working well and had a lot of humility. You must always have in your thoughts the difficult moments in order to keep your feet on the ground. The greater good must always be kept in mind. Maintaining this has given us these results but the will to improve has been important in order to get to this moment.”
In keeping with Vicente Moreno’s tradition of having the players vote for the captain of the team, Campos says he is proud to wear the armband for a third consecutive season.
“I’m very grateful for having the captaincy, there is a lot of thanks to all the players the have been and have added so much to these two years. I try to add, from where I am, that the unity has made all this possible.”
