© Atletico de MadridThe ongoing pre-season camp of Atlético de Kolkata, at the Atlético de Madrid training base in Spain, is helping the team get into shape for the forthcoming Hero Indian Super League (ISL) beginning here next month. But it has ironically delivered an unexpected spin-off by helping the Spaniards in the team acclimatize to India even before the squad arrives in the subcontinent.Spanish midfielder Borja Fernández, commonly known as Borja, who was amongst the first international players to sign up for the ISL, explained how this has happened after spending quality time with his Indian colleagues.“You get time to get to know your new teammates. The Indian teammates are already telling us things about life in their country and what we’ll find there, how they live football. When we get there, it won’t be such a big impact. This is an intermediate step to make acclimatisation better,” the tall defensive midfielder told Atlético de Madrid’s website.Borja is one of five Spaniards in the Atlético de Kolkata squad, and he and his compatriots have a shared sense of excitement about playing in India: “We're eager to get there and see the country, how we’re going to live. Being with several Spanish teammates outside our country and starting a new league will be something interesting!”He added that his enthusiasm for playing in the ISL had helped him get through the tough first few days of training! “I’m eager to start the competition because it had been three months since I had trained,” he explained. “These first days, although they’re hard, I’m handling them well because I am so eager.”Having spent his entire career in Spain, the ISL will be Borja’s first experience in football outside his home country. Explaining what prompted him to make the move, Borja said, “Although I had offers to play in our country’s first division, I chose this project because I craved a new challenge, football-wise. It’s possibly one of the last opportunities to go abroad, and, why not something new?”A product of the Real Madrid academy who played for the famous club for two seasons, Borja looks back nostalgically on his varied career in his home country, “I remember that in 2001 I started in Real Madrid’s first team and it’s been 13 seasons in the Spanish league(s).” He went on to add, “I want to keep going. A person cannot remain so long at the top if he has no hope or wish to increase that experience.”The Spanish midfielder has ambitious goals for his first season in India: “We’re preparing to do our very best. We’re mentally prepared for the start on October 12 and the final to be played on December 20, and we’re eager to get to that final!”All quotes taken from Borja Fernandez’s interview on the official Atletico de Madrid website.
