[스포티비뉴스=강남, 허윤수 기자 / 송경택 영상 기자] The hot summer that thrilled Korean soccer fans has passed. Tottenham Hotspur, led by Son Heung-min, received a lot of attention, but Spain’s prestigious Sevilla was no less. In particular, their sincerity was enough to impress Korean fans.
Founded in 1890, Sevilla is a major player in the La Liga. He won the league once and the Copa del Rey five times, and in the last three seasons, he finished fourth in all of them, solidifying his semi-final system. In particular, last season, the gap with second-placed FC Barcelona was only three points, narrowing the gap.
On the 14th, ‘Sportiv News’ had an exclusive interview with Jose Castro Carmona, chairman of Seville. He arrived the evening before, but he kept his schedule without a break.
Chairman Carmona, who delivered the Korean greeting “Hello,” said, “The journey was a bit long, but it was okay. Fortunately, I slept well. She is very happy to come to Korea,” she said.
It is difficult to adapt easily to the sweltering heat of Korea, where the rainy season overlaps. Even Lee Seung-woo (Suwon FC), who spent his childhood in Spain, put his tongue out saying, “The heat is similar, but the humidity is not as high as in Korea.”
Chairman Carmona said, “Actually, I arrived last night and I have not yet had the experience to tell the weather. First of all, I heard from officials who came to Korea that it was humid.” He added, “The Seville team has to adapt to any weather. Also, Korean officials and fans treated me so comfortably, so there is no bad effect of the weather.”
Seville was my first visit to Korea on this visit. What was the reason for choosing Korea as the pre-season location?
Chairman Carmona said, “In Spain, Sevilla is one of the top four clubs. In line with the global strategy of the La Liga Secretariat, Sevilla’s brand value should be further known and enhanced. If you call me thank you, I will actively pursue it.”
From the day following arrival, Seville was actively involved in Korean culture experiences, such as Korean language classes, recording Korean cheering songs, K-pop dance classes, and visits to Changdeokgung Palace. I was curious as to why a team with no Korean players and no relationship showed such sincerity.
“The reason is simple. Seville believes that wherever you go in the world, you should have as much exchange as possible with the culture of that country within the given time. He has a sense of obligation to act as if he were all the same person and not a foreigner.”
It wasn’t just this. Chairman Carmona said, “More than anything else, in a country that treats us so comfortably and kindly like Korea, we need to feel that sense of responsibility even more.”
In fact, domestic soccer fans suffered a lot from Juventus’ visit to Korea where the ‘Ronaldo no-show’ incident occurred three years ago. Accordingly, when the news of Sevilla and Tottenham’s visit to Korea was announced, it was also true that they raised suspicions.
He explained to Chairman Carmona the emotions that Korean fans had to have following Juventus’ visit to Korea. He also said that he was healed a lot by Sevilla’s sincere appearance.
“Sevilla is not just a team for the city of Seville and for the people who live there. This is a club for anyone who loves Sevilla even a little, regardless of country. That’s why, wherever we go, we have to repay the fans who show interest and support.”
He then emphasized the essential game rather than fan service. Chairman Carmona said, “The biggest reward for the fans is football. It is also what they are most looking forward to. Football is beautiful because it is a sport that can connect people without boundaries. It is our greatest duty to show you the best game possible.”
