Pablo Sarabia interview: Wolves star on becoming a father, feeling part of the pack and his hopes in old gold

Particularly for foreign players looking to play in the best league in the world, moving and adapting to life in England can be a difficult process.

The language, the food, the weather – there are so many things about English culture and life that are different for players travelling from elsewhere on the continent, or further afield.

But for Pablo Sarabia and his wife Carmen, their move to England in January was fraught with challenges.

Sarabia said: “I’ve only been to London, three or four times and I love it. I’ve never been to Wolverhampton but I’m very happy here and it’s a good city and different. I think I will be very happy here with my family too.

“Yes, it’s very cold but it can be cold in Paris too. It doesn’t matter for me because I came here to play football and to be with my family. We adapt to the cold and all things here.”

When asked if his family have moved with him, the Wolves forward added: “Only my wife, Carmen, She is pregnant now. We have twins on the way.

“She is very brave because it’s very difficult to change the culture in this moment. She told me to take the better solution for my career and my family.

“When we arrived here, we booked the house, hospital and car to have the babies in one month. It’s one boy, one girl. This is amazing because it is the first.

“It’s perfect because my mum is a twin and her uncle is a twin too. There was a lot of probability to have twins and it’s very nice for us.”

In fact, the first things out of Sarabia’s mouth when he landed off the plane in England and met the Wolves hierarchy, were questions about the nearest hospital and how he can make his wife more comfortable.

It was that humble grounding that, among many other attributes, saw Wolves jump at the chance to bring him to the club.

Wolves appointed Julen Lopetegui in early November and the Spaniard quickly got to work on the club’s January targets.

The head coach has brought a personal touch by calling players himself to persuade them to join Wolves – the same tactic he employed on Sarabia, when he made his £4.5million move from Paris Saint-Germain.

Sarabia has admitted that Lopetegui called him ‘very early’ before the window even opened, as Wolves set to work on bringing him on board.

“We have already had a relationship for a long time,” Sarabia said as he sat in the press conference room at Compton.

“He’s a very good coach and I like his DNA – the way he coaches and the things he does. For that reason I was very excited to come here.

“From the first moment there was an option to come here and it was a good one. I enjoy working with him and I think we’re going to do a very good moment here together.

“The training is very important. I like how he solves the problems to play other teams, with the video sessions and in training. It’s better for the player, to allow them to show the best level in the match.”

Lopetegui may have played a big part, but Sarabia was still leaving a Champions League club with a front three of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.

As brilliant as it was to play alongside them, they were also the problem. Sarabia wanted to play first and foremost, and play at a club where he felt wanted.

“It was amazing to play with them. It was very exciting and it was a very good experience,” he said.

“I’ve played with Cristiano, Messi, Mbappe and Neymar. It’s incredible.

“But I need to play and I prefer to be at another team to feel that togetherness, to be part of it and be a member of the team and a family, rather than just a collection of individuals.

“It’s different but the most important thing for me is to feel important in the team. In my career I have passed a lot of difficult moments but now I think I want to enjoy the job.

“The best way to enjoy your job is to play and be in the starting XI, feel like an important member of the dressing room. I feel that right now I’m in the prime of my career and that is why I thought this was a good move.

“I need to play and that’s why I’m happy. It’s very difficult to play with the level of players at PSG so I took the decision to come here.

“When Julen signed here I checked everything about this club, and it was very nice. I want to continue in the Premier League for a lot of seasons.

“I looked at a lot of options for me and the best option to leave Paris, because I needed to play.

“When he (Lopetegui) called me, it was key for me to come here because I needed the coach to believe in me.

“I like this club a lot because it’s a family club and for me that’s very important. I needed to find this and I’m very happy to stay here.

“This is a family and it’s very nice. It’s important to find that happiness.”

Now six games into his Wolves career and speaking after scoring his first goal during the 1-1 draw with Fulham, Sarabia seems happy.

For an experienced player who has several major honours to his name and has been included in the Spain squad for the last Euros and World Cup – the 30-year-old was delighted to find the back of the net in Wolves colours.

He said: “I’m very happy because I need to score to help the team.

“The best way to help the team is to score and it’s important for us. I’m happy.

“I hope to show my best level in the Premier League with my team-mates, coach and all the supporters. I want to improve each day and I hope to show a better level in the next game.

“It’s (the Premier League) a little fast with the rhythm, defensive and offensive. I need to get to the adaptation for the league and team-mates because it is all different. I want to know all my team-mates and their movements on the pitch. It’s very important and it’s not only for the Premier League but for me.

“I learn every day, of course. It’s the key in life for me. I like to learn a lot in all things, not just in football but life too. I like to learn French and English. It’s an opportunity to be here and it’s very exciting for me to learn more. It’s different here.

“I try to have the healthy life because it is important for the player. I didn’t do many things different to before but I think I focus better on the food because it’s very important for the player.

“It is about being professional every day. It’s our job and very nice but you need to eat very professionally all the time, in the afternoon and the night, to be the best level on the pitch.”

With three months of the season to go, Wolves have Premier League safety in their sights but still face a huge challenge to get over the line.

As one of six new signings in January, Sarabia’s job has been to make an impact on the field and in the dressing room, as Wolves work towards healing the fractured squad from earlier in the season.

Sarabia added: “The atmosphere is very positive. It’s amazing and all the team-mates are focused on the next match in each training session.

“It’s very important to compete in training, to the maximum. This way, together, we will win. It’s the key to competing in matches.

“We need to win two or three matches soon, but I think it’s a very good team. We will get to our objective.

“We have a very good team, defensively and offensively, and I have a lot of confidence in the team.”

That confidence is particularly instilled in captain Ruben Neves.

The Portuguese midfielder has been Wolves’ star man for some time and has single-handedly carried the team through games and tough spells this season.

It may seem like an obvious – but accurate – answer, as Sarabia picks Neves out as the one player who has impressed him the most at Wolves.

“He’s a very good player and a very good person too,” he said.

“When I arrived here he helped me a lot, with the team and other things at the club.

“He’s a very good player. He sees the game and has great vision.

“We need Ruben in the middle because he makes the whole team tick. He’s very important for us.”

The Spanish international has featured on both the right and left flanks, as well as a second striker, in his short spell at Wolves so far.

Supporters are in debate over where is best suited, but the player himself has a clear vision of where he wants to be – and is pleased with the support from fans so far.

“The most important thing is to help the team,” Sarabia said.

“The coach chooses the position and what is better for the team.

“But I think the best position for me is near the goal, to score. I enjoy scoring and arriving in the box.

“To do this, I prefer to stay as near to the goal as possible.”

He added: “It’s very nice for me to have the supporters with us.

“We need a good atmosphere in the stadium. It’s very important for us to have a good game and do the last effort in the match.

“The supporters are very nice and I’m very happy with them.

“I would like to show them the best Pablo Sarabia. It’s very important for me to show them the player I am, so all supporters can enjoy it with the team.”

Sarabia’s plan, too, is to show Wolves fans what he can do for some time.

Joao Moutinho is a perfect example. Wolves signed the midfielder in 2018 on a two-year deal, and he is currently in his fifth season at the club, aged 36.

Sarabia signed a two-and-a-half year contract with Wolves in January, but hopes he can see out the prime years of his career at Molineux.

He added: “I came here to show the supporters my best level, and I hope to stay here for a long time.

“I want to enjoy the club, the Premier League and being in a different country. That is the reason my babies will be born here. They could have been born in Spain but it’s important for them to adapt here.”