Real Valladolid announced this week, after securing their long-awaited survival in the Segunda División, the renewal of David Torres until 2030. The Valladolid native sat down with the press to share his thoughts and emotions.
**How did you experience the survival?**
After last season, which was very tough for everyone, I needed to personally erase what happened and start fresh. That’s what I set out to do—focus on this year—but we all know it’s been extremely difficult as well. I tried to stay consistent and keep that drive to push myself further. This renewal is a great opportunity, and I’ll do my best to make the most of it.
**Was this renewal already agreed upon and just waiting for survival, or was it decided now?**
There had been conversations before, and it was already settled. But we all know how the season was going, and beyond individual matters like this renewal, the collective was the priority. The team’s objective came first.
**It’s a long contract…**
Yes, several years, and I’m happy. When you renew, you get another chance, so you have to seize it and understand that you carry more weight in the team. You can see that homegrown players are very important, that there’s a lot of talent, and that we need to give that talent time to reach the first team. Hopefully in the coming years, we can achieve much more.
**It was another complicated year. Did you feel like a leader in the dressing room?**
I’ve felt the colors from day one. I’m from here, and I know what it means—all that’s behind it, all the people. I try to convey that to the new arrivals. You have to give everything in every training session because there are many people suffering behind the scenes. We want them to know that Valladolid is a big, historic club, and being here carries a lot of responsibility. That has to be shown on the pitch.
**How did you experience the victory against Zaragoza?**
We all know the expectations at the start of the season, but football doesn’t understand fairness; it doesn’t wait for anyone. In the end, results led us to this situation, and the objective became survival. We had two options: think we should be at the top, or be humble and accept that the task was to fight for survival. It was a very important win, just like the one against Real Sociedad B.
**Now there are three matches left against the three teams fighting for direct promotion…**
Some people might think we’ll relax, but every time we step onto the pitch wearing the Valladolid shirt, we have to give our maximum. I don’t understand it any other way. We’re professionals, and we defend not just the team but also the workers and the fans who want to see their team win. I can’t conceive football without giving 100%.