Interviews
MIÉ 10.02.2016
When he was young, Tonny, the oldest of five children, saw his mother forced to leave Paraguay to seek work in Spain. It’s a common situation for many Paraguayan families, and Tonny had to learn to get by without his mother around at home. The Sanabria family were finally reunited when they travelled to live in Spain together when he was aged 11.
“From an early age I had always dreamed of living in Europe,” the Paraguayan striker told LaLiga. It was the dream of a child who arrived in Spain simply to grow up alongside his mother, and only later earned the opportunity to be a football player when he joined FC Barcelona’s La Masia youth academy. He debuted in the Liga BBVA with R.Sporting, but his family ties remain strong in Gijon, where his brother Joel lives with him and plays in the club’s Mareo youth academy.
He grew up at Barcelona playing alongside the likes of Munir El Haddadi, Sandro Ramirez and Sergi Samper in their B team, and then signed for Italy’s AS Roma at the beginning of 2014. But he has found his niche now on loan at R.Sporting. He joined the Asturian club at the start of the current campaign and is making history on their return to the top flight.
“Sporting are a great club to develop at as a football player,” the 19-year-old said. He’s scored 10 goals in 16 games including two hat-tricks, something that only former Sporting legend Quini achieved in his debut season with the club. “I owe everything to my parents,” Sanabria added, and it's clear that without their efforts Gijon would have been unlikely to be enjoying his precocious talents now.
© LALIGA - 2016