Phillipe Senderos, Swiss of Spanish descent, former Arsenal and Valencia, Among others, he is fortunate to be part of the historic Invincibles ‘gunner’ squad that won the 2004 Premier League without losing a game, which then repeated the FA Cup and almost won the Champions League against Barcelona by playing with one less in the entire final in 2006.
The central defender, a football globetrotter, now a television commentator and ambassador of Spreadex Sports chat with MARCA on the eve of the second continental final for his former team 20 years later.
Ask. You were ‘invincible’… but outside of England you are remembered more for the great Champions League season in 2006. What memories do you have of Arsenal’s victory at the Bernabéu?
Answer. For me, playing at the Santiago Bernabéu against Real Madrid was a dream come true. I was living a dream. It was probably the game in which I realized that I had made it as a professional footballer.
My father is Spanish, from a place very close to Madrid, so he has supported Real Madrid all his life. And since I was little I grew up watching Real Madrid and thinking that it was an incredible team that I would love to play for in the future.
Senderos and Zidane, in the 2006 qualifying round.
I started vomiting on the Bernabéu grass because I was so nervous before the Champions League match, it was my peak, my dream
I remember that match and that entire day at the Bernabéu because it was the day I was the most nervous in my entire life. I started vomiting on the grass before the game just before the referee called the game to start. I was truly living my dream, but I was intimidated by the environment and the setting.
Q. And they eliminated your dream team…
R. It was also an incredible night for the team and the club, winning that game. I had incredible players around me, particularly Thierry Henry, who had a spectacular night.
During that entire phase of the Champions League we had one of the best defenses, even with an improvised defense at times, with Mathieu Flamini as a full-back and I playing alongside Kolo Touré. It was a special year because we had great stability, and that is what gives you the opportunity to win titles.
Q. In that 2006 final against Barcelona, everything was against Arsenal, even luck. What memories do you have?
R. That day we had bad luck. Our goalkeeper, Jens Lehmann, was sent off. We played well in the first half, but obviously that decision hurt us and we had to replace Robert Pires and reorganize the team. We went ahead with a goal from Sol Campbell, but in the end we couldn’t beat a Barcelona that would become one of the best teams in Europe.
Senderos, during his time at Valencia.ñ
That Madrid went for a young man like Xabi and now another veteran like Mou, suggests that they have lost the formula for success
Q. In this year’s final against PSG, Arsenal is clearly the least favorite team. Are things going well for the Gunners?
R. Arsenal won’t mind being the underdog against Paris Saint-Germain; perhaps they enjoy it playing with defensive solidity and a pragmatic style. Arsenal have the strength to win the Champions League final, and now, as Premier League champions, they will play with more freedom, without the pressure of winning a trophy this season. In a single match, they have a great opportunity to win the club’s first Champions League and make history.
Q. You are now a commentator, do you like Arsenal’s style of play? Do you find it defensive and boring?
R. I do enjoy watching Arsenal games. They have a lot of quality on the field and they know how they want to play, that is very clear. They play freely in certain areas of the playing field.
Q. One of your platonic or real ‘exes’. Who worries you more right now, Real Madrid or Valencia?
R. At Real Madrid there are imbalances. Communication is not fluid and that creates problems. Florentino Pérez is very involved in hiring the next coach: at the beginning of the season they went in one direction, appointing a young coach like Xabi, and now it seems they are going in the other, signing an experienced coach like José Mourinho. This suggests that they have lost the formula for success.
At Valencia, the situation is very difficult and has been for many years. They have had to depend on many young people from the quarry and have sold their best players. It is a club that has been struggling for some time, that has not been competing at the expected level. But now there is good news regarding the new stadium; The club is evolving and has enormous potential because it is a great city to play football. I really hope they can recover their previous level.
