Asier Villalibre (Gernika, 1997) is experiencing the best moment of his professional career with Racing, a team that continues its steady march toward promotion to the Primera División. The striker, nicknamed “El Búfalo,” was the one chosen to face the media after the heavy defeat in Andorra during a critical point in the season, and he has also been the first to speak ahead of what is—on paper—the most relaxed week of the campaign so far. Dressed in the Cantabrian club’s training sweatshirt but wearing Adidas pants and sneakers, he appeared this midday in the press room at the Nando Yosu facilities.
With his trademark beard… but no trumpet. Because there’s nothing to celebrate. Not yet.
He called for calm after the Andorra loss and said results would come. He was right.
“I held a press conference at a somewhat complicated time off the pitch. We were clear that the situation was good and we trusted the team. I came out to deliver that message, and the message now is the same. Neither were we the worst Racing before, nor are we the best Racing now. We are the same team we’ve been all season, improving day by day, and we continue with great enthusiasm for these last four finals.”
It feels like they’ve found their best form at the decisive moment.
“We’re playing very good football, with confidence, and it shows. Throughout the year we’ve been having a very good season, and you can see we’ve been at the top all year. It’s true that a defeat like the one in Andorra may have stung our pride, it made us angry, and we’ve managed to turn the situation around well.”
Do you have the trumpet ready?
“That question is asked by many people every day, everywhere I go, honestly. I always say the same thing: you have to be patient. The trumpet is put away right now; there’s nothing to celebrate yet. We have to wait for these last matches, and hopefully we can celebrate.”
Villalibre became famous for his trumpet celebration after winning the Spanish Super Cup with Athletic.
They’ve spent almost the entire year in direct promotion spots and mostly as leaders. Would it be disappointing to go up without being champions?
“There are still four games left, and anything can happen in football. We are going to work to become champions, obviously. I can’t speak for everyone, but Peio and I talk about it a lot, and we always say we want to finish first. It’s true that the goal we all have in mind is to get promoted, but to also win a title is something that stays with you for life. Obviously, we know what’s at stake, but what we want is to go for these four games, play our football, and win all four.”
You score a goal every 84 minutes. What’s making the difference for this Asier Villalibre?
“People see such numbers and that kind of confidence—both you feeling it and others trusting you. I can’t compare it to other seasons because in football there are a thousand factors, and it all depends on them. You can’t give one key and get it right. But what I’m clear about is that I’m starting to feel like the Asier I’ve always been. That confident Asier, who steps onto the pitch knowing he’s going to get chances, who smells the goal—and I’m really happy about that. In the end, it’s all transmitted when you go out there, and you also feel that the fans sense a change, that you’re moving forward. So, as I said, I couldn’t give you a single key, but the most important thing is that I have that feeling again.”