The morning training session and the afternoon session, Omar Mascarell Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 1993 takes some time out of his busy schedule to attend MARCA. This week he is working with the team again after an injury and his name has come up to reinforce several teams during this winter market, especially to help Valencia. Omar speaks slowly, but his mission is very clear until the end of the season. It does not move. First things are important. How are you? I had an injury just before Christmas. I tried to go back for the first game of the year but it was too early and I felt a little bit from the ailments.
I have given the muscle rest and have already started running and will be with the team shortly to help the team out of this situation. P. The truth is that Schalke is in a more than complicated situation.R. Very complicated. It is the hardest moment I have had in my career. It has been almost a year without winning. Every week fighting with that psychological burden that affected all of us players after not winning for so long. But at the weekend we managed to win and end the bad streak and see if the road becomes a little easier,
P. And you are wanting to change of scene?
A. This is my fifth season in Germany, two in Frankfurt and three here at Schalke. I am very happy and I feel valued by the club. Our fans don’t deserve this situation. Right now I am 100%, totally focused on these remaining months to get this situation forward. Once we get it, in summer, there will be time to sit down and assess things.
P. Can we rule out that it moves in the winter market? R. For me, yes.
If there comes a time when the club opens the door for me. I’ll have to do it, but my idea is to be here and get Schalke out of the game. I consider it my responsibility, and more as a captain. I’m not the type to jump ship when things go wrong. I want to fight to get out of this situation. The club and I know that I want to stay to contribute my grain of sand. Q. Tell me about the Interest of Valencia to incorporate you tomorrow.
R. I know that there have been important clubs in Spain that have followed me, but in the short term, I don’t think about that. Any interest is a compliment, but I already said that now I am focused on Schalke that I am not one of those who get off the boat. Another thing is that at some point in the future in my mind am going back to Spain. Q. You have earned a status in Germany. A. I have adapted very well and they have always treated me very well. Even the club raised the possibility of negotiating a renewal, but right now the situation invites us to be calm and focus only on moving the team forward. I imagine that a little later we will sit down to talk. Q. To return to return? R. In these years I have grown soccer and personally.
I’ve always thought of going back one day but doing it with status. Right now in Germany, I have it. I am happy and I feel important. I will not make a decision to return. If I do, it is because there is something that catches my attention and it is a good step in my career. Going back just for playing in my country is not on my mind. Q. In Germany, you have gained tremendous experience. A. I have 27 years and experience in the field. I think I am in a sweet moment in my career not in the team, but personally. I’m at a crucial moment and with every move I make I have to be sure.
I would only consider a change to a good project and with confidence towards me. In the last days of the last market, for example, there were people from the club who agreed to my sale but I discarded it because I preferred to stay at Schalke. You could see it was going to be a difficult season but I decided to continue and help the club. Q. Let me summarize for you. He stays at Schalke saves him and in the summer to thinks about the future. Not in vain he will only have one year left on his contract and the logical thing will be to renew or transfer it.A. Totally. That is the perfect summary. I am very clear that I am staying until the minimum summer to fulfill the mission and that this club continues to enjoy the Bundesliga. In summer we will sit down and see what to do with the future.
