To his 40 years, Pau Gasol has initiated officially his second stage like player of the Barça of basket, after it landed in the city of Barcelona the past 3 March and happened the medical review the day 5 in the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper. The player of Sant Boi of Llobregat, that was formed in the quarry of the Barcelona institution and that was a member of the first team of the Barça of 1999 to the 2001 previous to his successful career of twenty years in the NBA, was presented this Thursday in an act that took place in the Palau Blaugrana.
Following the most strict norms of security in prevention of the contagion by Covid-19, the act was made with several T-shirts of the Barça with the 16 of Pau like bottom and with the presence resaltante of the family of the player: His mother Marisa, his father Agustí, his small brother Adrià, his wife Catherine McDonell and his small daughter of half years Elisabet Gianna. Likewise, they were also present the thickness of the directors of the club, ancient players of the first team like Juan Antonio Saint Epifanio 'Epi', Nacho Solozábal, Audie Norris, Jordi Trias and Roger Esteller, the technical Sarunas Jasikevicius and the three captains of the first staff (Pierre Oriola, Adam Hanga and Nikola Mirotic).
Joan Laporta, president of the FC Barcelona, went the attendant to issue the first words in the act, and stood out that the Barça "is the best of the world and a club polideportivo, and today have the honour again to have to Pau Gasol a reference all over the world. Thank you For doing barcelonismo in United States and thank you for going back home and defend again the T-shirt of the Barça. Your return follows a beautiful history of the Barça. You have won two rings of the NBA, World-wide, Europeans, have olympic medals, lines ACB and Glass and only is missing you a title and all know which is (the Euroliga, title that is missing him in the career to Pau). I am convinced that beside your mates and with the technical team that will go on doing history and reaching the aims that mark you. For us it is an honour that are here. Bienvenido to your house, to the Barça, to the Palau and to Catalonia".
After appreciating to the president Laporta and to all the presents, Pau Gasol recognised to be "very grateful and happy to go back home. It is a moment very special for me. It has spoken a lot of years of when would go back, of if it would finish my career in the Barça. 20 years ago I left of the club like player. I have been linked to the club with other capacities, like ambassador and working with the foundations, and now go back here and can help to the big team that there is am very ilusionado to be able to add in this big team that already exists, that are in very good line and ojalá one of my aspirations is to help to win the Euroliga, that is the title that is missing".
Likewise, Gasol explained that "I am not Pau that it went 20 years ago, neither neither the one of ten years ago, but am a special player, that expects to contribute only things to the team and to the club". Besides, it appreciated to the fans by the affection showed before beginning the turn of questions of the present journalists in the Palau. Afterwards to recognise that "I am evolving well of the injury and already see the light at the end of the tunnel", signalled that his return takes it to him like "a special opportunity, to go back home, to help to this team in all what can. I go day in day out, from here I go back with the illusion and the same ambition that went me 20 years ago".
The '16' of the Barça assumes that "we are in a good team and the most important is for deciding. The deal has been inmejorable, want to give back this illusion and this affection with a good performance and contribution of titles". Besides, to the question on the obligation to win League and Europliga this season, Pau answered that "when you are in a club like the Barça always is this expectation and a team like the Barça always will have this pressure, that think that is good because it is the one of the teams that are up. The titles does not give them anybody and it is necessary to understand it. To them it is necessary to arrive in the best moment and go out to win. I try to contribute in the measure that decide it the technical body".
"I want to give back this illusion and this affection with a good performance and contribution of titles"
It does not have haste in going back
What remained clear in the press conference is that Pau does not have haste and wants to do it when it was recovered of the injury entirely and in conditions to serve to the team. "Go back? Have an idea, but neither have marked us a party, yesterday did a training with a high requirement. Today we train again and we will see how we happen this week to concretise this date and this party. I expect that it was prompt, all are wishing them, but is important that take rhythm so that it can carry quality".
"It has been a difficult process from the moment that began in Saint Antonio, where jump the alarms and neither know that it is very grave, but the thing seems that it goes worsening, but as I always have been very competitive throw forward until you can not more. In Milwaukee the foot did not hold and went through operating theatre. To the six months sign by Portland and the thing in theory went well, but in two-three. Three weeks went back to recaer and the bone suffered. Unemployment to play, go back to operate me and begins a process to see which raisin, but I always wanted to give me an opportunity and worked with my team, but my discipline and win to go back to play have pushed me to arrive until here today. It has been difficult, but whatever happens have clear that have had a lucky career no, the following. It wanted to finish my stage like player competing and enjoying".