Coach Opens Door to Redemption for Julián

The coach drew a clear line under the controversy and opened the door to redemption.

“He’s training very well, he’ll be called up tomorrow, he’ll be part of the group that travels to Bilbao and we’re hoping for the best from him and all his teammates,” he told a news conference, confirming that Julián is back in the fold.

Then he widened the lens. This, he insisted, is bigger than one player and one mistake.

“I’m very clear about it: for me, life is full of opportunities. And Julián now has an opportunity to get things right. We often spend our time judging, and we need to focus on doing it less and learning more.”

No public scolding. No lingering reproach. Just a challenge.

“I hope this has been a learning experience for him. And that he’s happy, and as Futre, whom I send a hug to, told him yesterday in a nice video, that he does it by scoring goals.”

Bilbao will show whether that message has truly landed.