Adrian: Why he left Liverpool, emotional Betis return and building his perfect goalkeeper

“I don’t believe in fate or in coincidences. There is always a reason. Betis have not met Liverpool since the 2005 Champions League.”

Adrian San Miguel is talking at Real Betis’s training ground in a sweltering Seville. It’s a busy week. On Monday there was an emotional official return to his boyhood club, having decided to leave Liverpool, his home of five years. In between morning and evening training sessions on Tuesday, he spoke to The Athletic. On Wednesday, he flew to the U.S. with his new team. And tonight he faces his old one at Pittsburgh’s Acrisure Stadium.

“It’ll be a very nice reunion, although a bit strange, playing against Liverpool after so many years with them,” he says. “I’ve so many friends in the squad, staff, people I could not say goodbye to as it was summer. It will be fun.”

Seville-born, Adrian entered Betis’ youth system at 10 years old, and worked his way up to the senior team. But after just one campaign as first-choice goalkeeper, he left for West Ham in summer 2013, meaning the chance to return now aged 37 was just impossible to turn down. The club are evidently thrilled to have him, as evidenced by the homage to Rocky they filmed to announce his arrival, complete with the new signing bellowing ‘Adrian!’ after running up a flight of steps.

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“It was not an easy decision, after five seasons at Liverpool, achieving practically everything with Jurgen (Klopp), with such a great atmosphere in the dressing room,” Adrian explains. “But in a sporting career, and in life, a train passes only once, and this was the opportunity, the moment to return home, to a great project for the future at Betis.”

Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes made a big effort to persuade Adrian to remain, offering a one-year contract extension, and new head coach Arne Slot wanted him in the squad.

“I’ve a lot of respect for Richard, and we had various conversations about the new project,” Adrian says. “He told me Arne wanted me to stay, as an important person in the dressing room. I appreciated the contract offer, and also appreciate their understanding. It’s like Jurgen said — the important thing is not what people think of you when you arrive, but when you leave. Leaving in a good way, with respect, was very important for me.”

Adrian’s arrival at Anfield was also quite special.

Just a few weeks after signing in August 2019, as back-up to first choice Alisson, he found himself centre-stage as the European Super Cup tie with Chelsea in Istanbul went to penalties. Adrian made the decisive save in a 5-4 shootout win, making him an immediate fans’ hero.

“I had many special moments, winning the Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, but Istanbul was the first and most special,” he recalls. “I joined Liverpool the week the season started. Then Ali got injured in the opening Premier League game, so I had to play. The second game was the European Super Cup.”

As he recalls the impact of that night in Turkey, Adrian sounds like a commentator reviewing his own career — something he does more than once in our conversation.

“But, as I said, the train passes just once in a sporting career, and Adrian grabbed that opportunity when it came, entering into Liverpool’s history by saving that final penalty. It will stay in my heart, and for all Reds fans too.”

If there was no doubt about Adrian’s Anfield highlight, there is equally no arguing with the biggest low. That came in October 2020, when Liverpool lost 7-2 at Aston Villa in a game played behind closed doors due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The previous occasion Liverpool had conceded seven goals in a game was in April 1963, and it was the first time a defending English champion had leaked that many in a single match for almost 70 years.

“There was a tough moment,” Adrian accepts. “When you concede many goals like in that game, coming in that Covid time too, it is not fun. These games can mark you, it’s true. But they also make you grow, improve, and mature as a professional. I focus much more on all the positive times.”

In recent years, Caoimhin Kelleher was Klopp’s preferred choice when Alisson was unavailable. Kelleher has praised Adrian’s support during what could have been a much more awkward situation. The Ireland international’s future remains in doubt — he told The Athletic in May he wants to be a No 1 — but no move has yet materialised for a player Liverpool rate at £25million.

“I’ve a really good relationship with Caoimh, we had so many conversations,” Adrian says. “The ‘mister’ (Klopp) saw he was ready and I had to be there to support him. He showed last season he could be Liverpool’s No 1. It’s also clear that, when Alisson is there, he’ll start most games. Caoimh is at an age where you want to play every weekend. He also wants to be Ireland’s No 1, which will happen if he’s playing regularly. I know he wants to have more minutes. I hope he makes the right decision for himself.”

Kelleher kept an impressive clean sheet when Liverpool beat Chelsea 1-0 to win last February’s Carabao Cup final. That opened up the possibility of Klopp’s tenure ending in a blaze of glory, with whispers of an unprecedented quadruple given the club were still in contention for the FA Cup, Premier League and Europa League. Ultimately, that dream died thanks to a late-season slump which ended hopes of any more silverware.

“This last season we wanted to win everything, not just for Jurgen, but for ourselves too,” Adrian says. “In the end, the team fell off a bit in the Premier League, and Atalanta eliminated us from the Europa League in a way nobody expected. But this is Liverpool, new people always come along — like Arne now, a new beginning.”

Adrian remains in very close contact with many former teammates, who tell him Slot plans to retain the style of play that brought such success during Klopp’s nine years at Anfield.

“I speak almost every day with many of the squad — Kostas Tsimikas, Mo Salah,” he says. “They tell me they like it, the ideology is the same as with Jurgen. To be intense, direct, play with pace, press high, be brave. Liverpool’s squad is made for that. So the new coach will know how to adapt well to the players he has. And I wish him the best.”

Real Betis’ 2005 meeting with Liverpool was the last time the La Liga club played in the Champions League. But while the clubs are hardly comparable in terms of achievements, Adrian does see similarities, especially the connection between the team and their supporters.

“Both Betis and Liverpool are family clubs, with fanbases who are very hardcore, and a sensibility handed down from grandparents, to parents to children,” he says. “(Club songs) ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ and ‘Manque pierda’ are very alike — “manque pierda” means ‘We’re with you always, even if you lose.’ I was so proud to defend Liverpool’s badge at Anfield in those games that are going against you, until the Kop gets to its feet and pushes you on. It’s quite similar here. Betis’ stadium pushes you too, makes the opponent feel smaller, helps you when you need it.”

Betis’ current situation is very different to when Adrian was breaking into the team over a decade ago. Wracked by institutional chaos, the team bounced between the Primera and Segunda Divisions, and financial issues led to his departure to West Ham.

“Betis is really different now, as an institution it was hurting a lot back then,” Adrian says. “Now Betis is on an upward curve, qualifying for Europe in each of the last four seasons. Since coming back I’ve seen the new facilities and work taking place at the academy and stadium renovation. On the pitch, they’ve won a Copa del Rey (in 2023), and this year we’ll fight to win the Conference League. It’s a young team, but with experience from other leagues too.”

Adrian is one of those veterans who bring experience from England, along with ex-Leeds pair Marc Roca and Diego Llorente. The squad already has senior goalkeepers Rui Silva, 30, and Fran Vieites, 25, meaning some potentially tricky decisions for coach Manuel Pellegrini, who used Adrian as his ‘cup keeper’ during their 2018-19 season together at West Ham.

“Manuel Pellegrini is a winner who, like Klopp, demands the maximum in every training session, every game,” Adrian says. “I’m coming here to compete, bring what I can, and take my opportunities when they come. I don’t like labels like ‘first choice’, we’re teammates, squad members, and all have to contribute. I’ve signed for two years plus one. To win a trophy with Betis would be a dream.”

Another connection between Betis and Liverpool is in environmental awareness — Adrian’s new club is ranked No 1 in Spain for sustainability, while his former side top the Premier League’s rankings.

“Betis has a big social impact,” he says. “An example of Betis’ Forever Green campaign is the goalnets here at the training ground have been rescued from the bottom of the ocean. It can seem a small detail, but it shows fans they can do something too.”

It is part of Adrian’s wider awareness of social awareness, giving the lie to the popular perception of the tunnel-vision sportsman.

“I’ve my own social project, 13Family,” he adds. “Each month we give visibility on our social networks to an NGO working for good in this world, with refugees, families in difficult situations, an animal refuge.”

Through his time in La Liga, the Premier League, and UEFA competition, Adrian has had a chance to study all the current top goalkeepers in action.

So, an experiment: based on what he has seen, who would make up his ideal composite goalkeeper?

“The best for reflexes — currently, I’d say Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid),” he says. “Agility is between (Bayern Munich’s) Manuel Neuer and (Barcelona’s) Marc Andre ter Stegen. One v ones must be Alisson. With his feet… Ali is good, but for me the best is Ter Stegen. Penalty saving is Adrian, for sure! I saved three in a row in the Premier League with West Ham, it was a record.

“Dominating their penalty area — Neuer is very good at that. Mentality? I’d say Pepe Reina, at 41 years old, he’s signed for (Serie A side) Como, has kept his level up, always ends up getting minutes at every team he plays for. He’s an example of how to maintain your mentality as a keeper.”

More penalty nous could be useful for Betis, whose keepers have not saved a penalty in La Liga for almost four years. Adrian says that the key is making the taker lose focus, citing England and Everton’s Jordan Pickford as a good example, although in his opinion Emiliano Martinez of Aston Villa and Argentina sometimes takes things too far.

“Penalties are difficult, as the takers are getting better all the time,” he says. “We study them, but they also study us. A really well-taken penalty is impossible to save. So, you try to take them out of their comfort zone, break their concentration, speak to them, or move around.

“Jordan does that well, as does Emiliano Martinez, bringing it to the limit. Although, I don’t really like going too far. In the end, you create a personality that people start to hate. We’re all companions too.”

Another former Premier League goalkeeper currently in the news is David de Gea, who has been without a club since leaving Manchester United 12 months ago. Adrian himself had a much shorter spell training on his own between leaving West Ham and joining Liverpool, and says he believes De Gea, 33, can return to his best if he finds a new club this summer.

“Being without a team for a spell is not nice,” Adrian says. “I’ve a good relationship with David, he’s a great keeper. He had options, but felt they were not the best for him. I hope he finds a team which suits.”

And if De Gea was searching for inspiration as he seeks a route back into football, Adrian provides it. He is compelling proof that players do not need to be picked every week to retain their love of the sport, or their hunger to succeed. 

“We keepers are a bit different from outfield players,” he says. “If we train hard for some months, we keepers can get back top form quickly. It’s more a question of mentality and wanting to keep enjoying this profession we’re so privileged to have.”

(Top photo: Joaquin Corchero/Europa Press via Getty Images)