Braulio Vázquez: " I’m Very Proud of How Much We’ve Grown as a club, and I Feel Part of That Growth"

Osasuna hosted a press conference Tuesday afternoon at El Sadar to announce the contract renewals of sporting director Braulio Vázquez and technical secretary José Antonio Prieto ‘Cata,’ with club president Luis Sabalza in attendance.

“They’ve told me I’m going to be the longest-serving sporting director in Osasuna’s history, and to be part of the club’s history, in my small way, with the working team, we are very proud,” Vázquez said. “I have friends within the club, and when I see them suffer—because let’s not forget there are very important clubs suffering, and that impacts jobs, reducing staff from a thousand to a hundred, and if Osasuna is relegated and doesn’t return the following year, many people earning just over a thousand euros might have to leave. That gives you a huge responsibility in making decisions. But it also means that when the good moments come, like the day we played Real Madrid, you enjoy it twice as much because you see your friends enjoy it, too,” he explained.

Vázquez, who has signed on through the 2029 season, expressed gratitude to the president, the board of directors, the technical staff, and the players he has worked with over his nine years at the club.

“Obviously, there have been opportunities at major clubs—economically significant ones as well, which I won’t name out of respect—but I sincerely believe that being able to enjoy every day and be happy, even in tough times, is unique. I don’t think I’ll ever be as happy at any other club, regardless of the challenges or successes, as I am at Osasuna,” he said.

Asked about his role in attracting players, Vázquez said, “I have a great club behind me, and when I try to convince someone—like Víctor Muñoz—about what Osasuna is, it’s easy because I believe it myself. I don’t need to put on a show to bring players here; we have a fantastic club, an incredible fanbase, and the trust of the board to make decisions.”

“Our team is small, and decision-making is quick, which comes with difficulties and risks, but I’m very proud of how much we’ve grown as a club, and I feel part of that growth,” he added.

Vázquez also highlighted the club’s commitment to its Tajonar youth academy. “Since we arrived, now in our ninth year, all but Kike Barja have come through Santi Castillejo’s hands. We try to retain our best players and stay in the top division. It’s a virtuous cycle—staying up allows us to keep talents like Aimar and Moncayola, have them fight for important goals, and pay them what they deserve, while also bringing in key players like [forward]Ante Budimir, [midfielder] Rubén García, or [goalkeeper] Sergio Herrera. With that mix, we aim to inspire our fans, and I think we’re succeeding.”

Luis Sabalza: “Without Them, Explaining Osasuna’s Growth Would Be Impossible”

Osasuna President Luis Sabalza joined Vázquez and Cata at the press conference, describing them as figures “without whom it would be impossible to explain Osasuna’s growth in the most recent period of our history.”

“Overall, I think we all agree these have been nine wonderful years,” Sabalza said. “The first year was the toughest, as we had to completely rebuild our sporting project, but then came promotion to the top division and six stable years, never finishing lower than 11th. There was also that memorable final in Seville for the Copa del Rey, participation in the Spanish Super Cup, and qualifying for the Conference League.”

He noted these successes stemmed from retaining top Tajonar academy talents and being joined by key players such as Rubén García, Sergio Herrera and Budimir.

 “The results have driven important changes: today we have this stadium, we’ve regained club assets, and now we face the exciting challenge of expanding Tajonar. I think we can look back with pride at what we’ve achieved, but our focus now is to look to the future with ambition and hope,” Sabalza said.