Talking Huesca with Luca Lorenzo

The other day on Twitter, I reached out looking for an English speaking Huesca supporter. One commentator referred referred to it as the ‘most optimistic question of the day’. What I ultimately found, thanks to the help of @Xemmafrendo, was Luca Lorenzo, self described ‘friend of the club’ who was able to tell us a lot about the club and also tip us off to the SD Huesca Fans England who we’ll hopefully be able to talk to a little later on this season. So, what follows is a transcript of my Q & A with Luca, and I hope you enjoy it!

We at Villarreal understand the thrill of promotion, but in your own words, can you describe what it was like, after all the challenges of the 2020 season, to see Huesca get promoted?

Well in reality I started following Huesca after my first visit to the city in 2017, the mutual connection is San Lorenzo since my home city’s patron saint is the same. I have followed them since. Last season was very odd, I mean personally as mainly a Barcelona fan, seeing the level of competitiveness in the Segunda was a breath of fresh air. When I visited the city last February pre covid the had just won a huge game & I left an image of our San Lorenzo in the dressing room & the club personnel told me, “let’s hope it brings us the promotion!”. Well after a global pandemic & the hurt that the city went through the Segunda title came along with the promotion in typical Huesca style, with the last kick of the season at Cadiz.

Now that Huesca is back up, what do you think of their transfer business so far this summer?

Well this transfer window has been hard for all the teams in Spain let alone for a newly promoted club that’s has always operated on a tight budget to begin with. The addition of Andres Fernandez is a positive one as he brings a lot experience even thou my first choice in goal would be Alvaro Fernandez. Also the addition of Gaston Silva & Pablo Maffeo along with securing the services of Okazaki, Mir & a personal favorite, Sergio Gomez will help in the new season.

How can we expect Huesca to play tactically?

Mainly playing a 4 4 2 system that may transition to a 4 3 3 in attack one must expect Huesca to be organized especially against bigger clubs in La Liga. The manager Michel will try and organize the guys as best as possible with the experience of Rico, leadership of Pulido & the partnership of Shinji & Rafa Mir. One thing is sure, Huesca will continue to fight till the last whistle as the have done to get to La Liga!

What is it about Huesca that makes them special in Spanish football?

What makes Huesca special to spainish football is the little “huesca-Isims” that are found in the club. Example I love this city because of the similarities between Huesca & my home town Vittoriosa. We in “Birgu” are so patriotic & love our city to the point that our lives revolve around Vittoriosa. In Huesca it is the same. That is what Huesca as a city & as a football club brings to La Liga. It’s like that Journey song, they are just a small town club, living in a big world!”. They will give passion from the first game to the last, the fact that every success is dedicated to San Lorenzo is the reason the club has a special place in my heart.

Editor’s note: Huesca has about 52,000 people in it, making it, like us one of the ‘small town’ sides in La Liga

Speaking of what makes Huesca special, tell me about the captain’s armbands that change every match for the club.

Well Huesca have started to have different designs for the captain’s armband every away match. The story being it is to pay tribute to the place they will be visiting & later they would be given to the hosting club as a present. I personally am excited to see how the armband will look when heading to beautiful places like Madrid, Seville, Barcelona, Celta, Valencia & starting off with Villareal. The greatest hit from last season were the one used against Zaragoza that was an Aragon flag & the first one used after the shut down that just had front line workers on it in tribute to the real heroes.

This season marks only the second time Huesca has ever been in the top flight. What do you think the club has learned since their 2018-2019 Primera season?

The last time Huesca played in la liga they were fearless. I remember clearly the first 3 matches a win at Eibar, a draw at Bilboa in the last kick of the game & the 8-2 vs Barcelona which I was in attendance, but Huesca still showed grit in that game as they did against all the big sides. The bad thing is that while they created a lot of memories for there followers that did not result in points. What they need to do it combine that fearlessness along with the grit and be 100% focuses at all times, the same qualities that got them over the line in the Segunda.

Tell us a bit about Estadio El Alcoraz.

Well personally I have not had the pleasure of experiencing it on a match day, hopefully this won’t be a dream any longer with covid permitting, but I have had a personal tour by the club and the stadium is a very cozy one , that it nature allows it to be rocking on a match day. As my friend Diego, who runs the Huesca fan club in London say “on match days when it is full the people hear the anthem of San Lorenzo which means that it is game time & we must show that here in Huesca we mean business!”. Hopefully as in the case around Spain Alcoraz will be open for business once more as the fans are the spice in the paella that is Spanish football.

What is your outlook for this season as it relates to Huesca?

I hope with all my heart that they stay up, it will be hard but I look at clubs like Getafe that where always in a relegation fight some 5 hears ago & know are regulars in European football. Let’s hope for the best & San Lorenzo be with us!

Predictions for Sunday?

Against Villarreal in the Ceramica is a tough test for a season opener also with the players that they have like Paco, Parejo, Torres, Moreno & Kubo. My heart would say 1-0 to Huesca but in reality I would be happy with a draw either 1-1 or 2-2 but hey it’s football anything can happen right?

Wrapping up

Thank you so much, Luca for talking with us, and other than two matchweeks of the year good luck to Huesca this season!