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Fernández: "Pressure is for tyres"

The striker is presented after his loan deal was made permanent this summer

A standout in the second half of the 2024/25 season for RCD Espanyol, Roberto Fernández turned a loan deal into a permanent move to the club this summer.

Given an extended summer break due to his national team commitments, he played his first preseason minutes in the Copa Catalunya final against Girona FC, and then took part in a presentation event this Thursday.

“You end up where you want to be. I was clear about that from the very beginning. I immediately realised I had connected with the fans. In the first game, they chanted my name, so you can imagine what that meant to me," he explained.

“I'm here, and that's what I wanted. The best thing that could happen to me is having a player with as much experience as Kike García by my side in the forward line. I'm very excited about this year. I think great things can happen.”

He asserted that he has been surprised by the affection he has received and that “Espanyol have a feeling around the club that no one really knows until you arrive here, and you realise the people who are behind you, both in the stands and at the club.”

He commented that coach Manolo González had asked him to remember "the child within" who has brought him this far and to "never abandon my work ethic of pushing up on the opposition."

However, he joked about the responsibility he may have from now on, noting that "pressure is for tyres. You have to always remain calm."

During Roberto's presentation, club CEO Mao Ye addressed the striker, saying "you are an Espanyol player, and I hope that you will be for many years to come. We enjoyed your goals for half a season, and now we hope to celebrate many more in the coming years."

Fran Garagarza, the sporting director, emphasised that Espanyol were already interested in Roberto "long before the last winter transfer window."

"We had a very difficult negotiation to sign him, but we are proud to have done it. He is an asset for the present and future. He is a player who will give us good performance and who connects with the fans. This is good news for the club because, in addition, Roberto has prioritised Espanyol."