Campazzo: I’m eternally grateful to Real Madrid

The next stop on Facundo Campazzo‘s journey is the NBA. After winning everything going with Real Madrid, the Argentine is set to take up a new challenge with the Denver Nuggets. In an interview with Realmadrid TV and Realmadrid.com, the point guard bode farewell to his teammates and the fans following his four-and-a-half-year stint at the club. “Madrid has given me pretty much everything. It’s shaped me as the person I am today, as well as the player I am. I leave here with friends, teammates, experiences and trophies, which is ultimately what makes this club so great. I’m eternally grateful to Real Madrid”.

How long did it take you to come to this decision?Given all that Real Madrid means to me, it wasn’t an easy decision. I spent a lot of days and months talking it over with my family and those that are close to me, with my wife… analysing the different scenarios and everything else. I wanted to accomplish a dream and do everything I could to make it come true. What I didn’t want is that in the future, when I retire from basketball, for it to be in the back of my mind that I never tried it. We decided to approach this challenge responsibly, as you have to, and it hasn’t been easy, but being at a club like Real Madrid, with all the comforts we have here and with it being a top-level club really has made things a lot easier for me.
What has this club given you to make you so happy and to see you become the best point guard in Europe?It’s given me pretty much everything. It’s molded me into the person I am today, quite apart from the player I am and all the trophies. I leave here with friends, teammates, experiences, trophies, which ultimately is what makes this club so great. I’ve also got a special word for Florentino Pérez or, my presi, as I always call him. He’s helped me so much over these years and committed so heavily to basketball and to me and I’m forever grateful to him.
What did that trust from the Real Madrid president mean to you?Having Florentino Pérez’s trust made me feel really relaxed and allowed me to play in a relaxed frame of mind and give my all for this jersey. Ultimately, when people speak about Real Madrid they talk about trophies, winning big things, but it’s really important to have the president’s backing as it makes you feel happy and relaxed.
What sort of player have you become at Real Madrid?The club has shaped me as a player and when I compare myself to my first year here, I can see that Facundo Campazzo has made big strides and I’ve improved both in terms of my game and on a personal level. My teammates have helped me n this transformation, but I’ve still got a lot of room for improvement. This club pushes you to the limit and you have to perform to 100% to show what you’ve got.
What will you miss most?Everything. Apart from the matches and all of that, it’ll be the day-to-day stuff with my teammates. Rather than teammates, they’re friends and I’ll be really sad not to share the daily experiences with them, on the trips, at mealtimes, in hotels, spending time with them, losing and winning matches with them. That’s what I’ll miss most and it’s what you really enjoy day in, day out at a club like this. I’ll always miss that.
What are your best memories from these four and a half seasons?The first thing that comes to mind are the trophies, the moments I’ve experienced. Then there’s also the defeats because that’s when you learn the most. They help to strengthen the togetherness within the team, friendships and although it may not seem like it, they’re the times when you learn things. The trophies, Belgrade… My first season here was very special, because it was a really big change in my life. The team, the coaching staff, the club and the president made me feel very much part of the club right from the outset, as if I’d been here for years.
What have your final few hours here been like?Over the past few months, I’ve even struggled to sleep. I imagined my own stories and got a bit stressed, but I must say that my teammates and the whole team really have made things easy for me. I’ll never forget that, I’m eternally grateful, because it hasn’t been an easy situation for me to deal with, but I want to thank them for their help over these really crazy days and months.
Will you follow Real Madrid when you’re playing in the NBA?I’ll be following the team. I don’t know how the time difference will work out, but I’ll do everything I can to watch the matches. As I’ve got all of my friends here, I’ll stay in contact and I’ll send them messages to wish them good luck, find out how they’re doing and to keep myself up to date.
Who in particular will you keep in your memory?Everyone. It wouldn’t be fair of me to name just a couple of names. I leave here with everyone’s affection and that’s really valuable to me. Quite apart from the trophies and the big things we achieved, the human quality within this team and club are incredible. I’ll miss everyone to the same extent: teammates, coaching staff, kit men and those who work behind the scenes, such as the physios, the doctors…
Your daughter was born in Madrid, she’s a Madrid girl but is she a Real Madrid fan?She was born here, she’ll be a Real Madrid fan and will watch the games with me.
What does it mean to defend this crest?It’s a responsibility. It’s really special and is something you constantly enjoy. You’ve always got to give your all for this jersey, give 100% and always put the egos to one side to lift trophies, which is what makes this club so great.
How much affection have you felt from the Real Madrid fans during your time at the club?Massive amounts. They’ve always trusted in me and it’s a shame I can’t share my final games with the fans, because I’d have liked to have said goodbye to them as well. I’m going to be able to do so to some extent in this interview. I’m really going to miss them. On a personal level, I always tried to give my all, quite apart from playing well, netting baskets and posting stats. I’ve always put the team first and gave my all to try and win. I want to thank them for giving me so much support over these years. It means a great deal to me and the time has now come to take my place alongside them as a fan.
What would you like to say to everyone who makes up the Real Madrid family?Thank you, thank you and thank you, because it hasn’t been an easy situation and you’ve made things easy for me by not making my situation the focus of things. I leave here with the friendship and support that you’ve always given me and you’ll always have a place in my heart.
What would your message be to the Madrid fans?Many thanks for all of your support, in the good times and the bad. I’ll try to follow the team and take my place alongside you as a fan, and I’ve only got words of thanks for the way that you too have dealt with this situation and how you’ve helped me throughout all these years to become the person and player I am today.