Spanish football does not forget Alen Peternac (Zagreb, 1972). The former Croatian footballer marked an era at Real Valladolid, where He arrived as an unknown and left five years later as the club’s all-time top scorer in the First Division.. Among his milestones, the five goals he scored in a single game stand out, against Real Oviedo in 1996; or his participation in Europucela, the last Blanquivioleta team that played in European competitions.
Now, 25 years after his last season as a pucelano, Peternac receives Relevo at his hotel in Valladolid, where he returned to receive a tribute in front of the thousands of fans who have either experienced and enjoyed his football or, in the case of The younger ones have heard of his legend. An “impressive” trip to his second home in which, “from the first minute to the last”, he has noticed “all the love and warmth of the people”he tells us.
He arrived to play in the Second Division, but the administrative relegations of Celta and Sevilla made him shine in the First Division.
In the 1994/95 season, Real Valladolid had been relegated to the silver category. That summer, a young Peternac of 23 years arrived to try out with the teamfrom Dinamo Zagreb. It didn’t take him long to convince Rafa Benitezwho was Pucela’s coach at that time, and finally stayed to help with the goal of promotion. A “promotion” that would come during the preseason, since Celta and Sevilla were administratively relegated. “Since I didn’t know Spanish very well when I arrived, one morning I woke up and everyone was celebrating. I asked ‘what’s happening? What’s happening?'”tells of that anecdote, which made him debut directly in First Division.
In that first season, The Croatian scored 23 goals in the First Divisionbut it was not an easy year. “At the beginning it was very bad with Rafa Benítez. The first round was fatal, “Nobody bet a penny on us.”recalls Alen. After a first half of the campaign that placed them at the bottom, Vicente Cantatore, a legend of the Valladolid club, arrived on the bench. “The second round was impressive. Cantatore united us more, gave us confidence, joy, we were a group. And that made us third in the league in the second round, which helped save us. It was incredible. “There was a party here in Plaza Zorrilla with a lot of people, as if we had won the league.”revives excitedly with Relevo.
Five goals in one game to turn the season around
Peternac is defined as a “very lucky forward” by the players who have accompanied him. “I have had very good footballers by my side,” he says, with whom he shares the credit for his goals. In that miraculous season, there is one game that stands out above the rest. A visit to Real Oviedo on the penultimate matchday was key to Pucela’s survival. That match ended 3-8 and our protagonist scored five goals. “I always tell the story. It was a very important game for us, we had to win no matter what, and on the bus Cantatore calls me, he was explaining to me what he had to do and he says: ‘You have to score one or two goals and I’ll buy you dinner.’ Of course, at the end of the game I approached him and said: ‘Now, what are you inviting me to now?'”he says between laughs.
“It was an impressive match,” he continued, “with 2,500 people displaced. We were losing 2-1 in the middle of the match, a lot of nerves, everyone very tense, and the second half was incredible. Japan Sevilla gave four penalties, I scored all four, I scored another goal and Quevedo scored another three. “It was unforgettable.”account of the match, which went down in history as the match with the most maximum penalties awarded, with a total of six. The forward, in his home, still has a framed photo of that crash to this day.
The man who took Real Valladolid to Europe for the last time
The following year, Real Valladolid achieved seventh place, which was enough to qualify for the UEFA Cup in 97/98. That season, 27 years ago, was the last time that Pucela played in Europe. “When you see that it is difficult and that it is not that easy, you value it much more”confesses the former footballer on behalf of all the Blanquivioleta fans. Furthermore, from that time, The team maintains a WhatsApp group with the name Europucela which, according to what it tells us, is still active. “We were a very good and very united group,” he says, and they always take advantage of opportunities to meet again: “When some of them can, they see each other. For example, Peña has come to Croatia and we have seen each other. Harold Lozano has also said that he is going to come. If anyone is somewhere where someone can be found, then we will meet.”
Peternac’s opinion on the team: “Quality is lacking a bit”
On his return to José Zorrilla, Alen Peternac himself took the opportunity to see old colleagues and friends. “When I came, The first ones I have seen were Alberto, Chema and Javi Torreswho are working at the club, and I am happy to see them and remember old times. “When I stepped onto the field yesterday, a lot of memories came back to me,” he says. Although this visit did not bring luck to the team, which lost 2-1 to Rayo Vallecano and is going through a delicate sporting moment.
“These last few years have been a roller coaster: Second, First, Second, First… a little stability is needed”says the exblanquivioleta. “I have seen that there are footballers who can make a difference, but What I see is that there is a little lack of quality and that we will have to fight to win the points,” he analyzes. “But I believe in the coach, in the quality of the footballers, and well, “We also started badly in ’95 and in the end we saved ourselves”he reasons optimistically.
In the year 2000, the legend that accompanies us today left the capital of Valladolid, after failing to reach a renewal agreement, and He headed to Zaragoza, where he spent a season before joining Real Murciafrom the Second Division, and return to the Aragonese club, which had been relegated to the silver category. In 2003, he hung up his boots.
Peternac’s life after retirement: coach in the Champions League and a boat company
“Since I like football, “After my career I continued working with my representative Zoran Vekic, then I went to Croatia and became a coach.”a position in which he hopes to continue growing: “I have been an assistant coach for many years now. I was in the Arab Emirates, I won two titles there; I was in Saudi Arabia at Al-Hilal; and at Dinamo Zagreb. “I have played in the Europa League, reaching the quarterfinals, the Champions League, I have won everything in Croatia… Now I have decided to go alone.”asegura Peternac.
And, apparently, offers are not lacking: “I have some and now when I return to Croatia I will see what I decide.” Given Pucela’s bad situation, there were those who asked him to stay on the José Zorrilla bench, something to which Alen would never close the door: “You never know. I would love to, of course, because this is my second home”.
Meanwhile, take advantage to “rest and enjoy life” in his native country, where he also has a boat company: “I have a friend who has a large boat company and I have some for rent, some catamarans”. And, despite the money that this sport moves, it is difficult for a former player to live off the income all his life, and many choose to remain linked to the world of football and invest in other businesses. “When I was a soccer player, I remember that my coaches said: ‘In my time you earned less.’ Now it’s my turn to say it. It was my time and I can’t complain, but “You have to keep working because life goes on and you have to invest what you have earned in something.”ends by explaining Peternac.
