2nd part:
There was an image that went viral when Gavi returned to play. You celebrated it as if it were a goal.
We are all very happy. It is true that I experienced it very closely because I was with him at the time of the injury and I know how much it meant to Gavi to be out for so long. He is a player who only wants to play football, enjoy the ball and that moment was very difficult for him and seeing him back, not only for me, but for all the spectators and teammates, was an immense joy.
Do you feel the affection of Barça, of the Barça fans, right now?
It's not something I've felt now, I think I've always felt it. Another thing is that I've had the opportunity to show the level I can reach, but I've felt the affection since I arrived, since I landed, I've always noticed it.
Now, after the Bayern and Madrid games, with convincing victories, can we say that Barça is the favourite in the fight for the titles?
That word "favorite" doesn't fit into my day-to-day life, it doesn't fit into my way of thinking. I'm one of those who believes that we have to take advantage of every moment and we're doing well. It's true that we've made two very important moves on the table and that this helps us to continue growing, but believing ourselves to be favorites could hurt us in the long run. We're doing our thing, with the same idea, philosophy and the same enthusiasm since we arrived.
Which victory was more important on a moral level for the dressing room, Bayern's or Madrid's? Which one meant "here we are"?
Well, both, but if I have to choose one, I'll go with the one against Bayern. It really was a game where we had to win, we came from a victory and a defeat and it's the Champions League, a competition that's cool and you can't let games slip away there. The League is very long, there are many games ahead. We were three ahead of Madrid and it was very important to win there, obviously, and to get three more against them, but if I have to choose one, I'll go with the one against Bayern.
There were 20 minutes of suffering against Bayern and against Madrid, Mbappé scored a goal that was disallowed... Even in those moments, do you not lose your belief in Flick and in this daring style?
No, in fact, I think it should motivate us more, seeing that all the goals they score are offside. So to speak, what bothers us right now is that you have to follow all the actions until they finish, until the linesman raises the flag, that's what bothers us the most, but the satisfaction of seeing that they are offside... It means that you are doing things right and that gives us that extra motivation that makes us go for the goal right now.
What is your big dream right now as a Barça player, the objective you have set for yourself this season?
Winning a big title with Barça would be my biggest dream right now. Whether I play or not, I always say that, this is a team and when you play here it's fine, but when you don't play you also have to be with the team. The most important thing would be to win a title with Barça, because we already missed a few last year and it's about time we got one.
ontractually, you have one year left on your contract with an automatic renewal clause. Are you thinking about Barça in the future?
My thought right now is to play as many games as I can, that will help me get the plus one (extra year) that I have. Always with total naturalness and normality, without putting pressure on myself and if it has to come, it will come and if not, well, hey, I'll say that I've been at Barça for two wonderful years and that I've been in the best team in the world.
Is Lamine always this impressive, even in training?
Lamine is a player who is different, a player who is rarely seen and having him with us is a joy. Many balls go through him, he generates a lot of nervousness in the opponent and it shows, and he doesn't shake, he is calm, he creates chances, he scores important goals... For us he is a fundamental player, he still has a long way to go and we hope that he continues to improve and that one day we see him lift a Ballon d'Or.
What is your ceiling?
He will set the ceiling. Obviously, the footballer has a long way to go. He is still very young, he has many good years ahead of him and we hope he continues to enjoy it and one day seeing him there (with the Ballon d'Or) would be very special.
Were you surprised by the Ballon d'Or, all the fuss there was and the fact that Rodri won it instead of Vinicius?
In the end, everyone has their own way of thinking. There are 100 journalists who vote and if they voted for Rodri it is because he deserved it more than Vinicius. I am happy for Rodri, I know him and the truth is that seeing him up there with a Ballon d'Or made me happy. I hope to continue seeing him up there for many years to come.
You have been in teams where the youth system is so important, what do you think of La Masia and its role in Barça?
It seems that it is essential for Barça to bring out such young players from the home team and for them to reach the first team so quickly. Things are being done very well, it is not just one player, but there are already quite a few on the pitch and the truth is that there is the silent work of all those who are in the lower categories so that the kids arrive and arrive quickly.
Nico Williams, the national team, the derby against Espanyol...
It's true that you're all at a superlative level, it's hard to choose just one, but has there been anyone who has particularly surprised you this season?
Well, apart from Lamine, who we saw last year what he can do, I would choose Casadó. Last year we didn't have the chance to see him on the pitch in so many games that we could say, wow, what he brings to the team. I think he is showing his qualities, what he can give and another player who comes from the youth system. Nobody has given him anything, but he, with his effort, has managed to get here to the first team and enjoy the minutes that the coach is giving him.
You are good friends with Nico Williams. With all the news this summer, did you get any calls from him?
Well, when Nico's name comes up so many times, in the end it always comes to you, you get messages, you get everything. But I have always kept myself out of it, I think that these are decisions that one should make alone. Taking the step or not, is up to him to make. In this case, I don't know if he really had an offer or not, so I can't give an opinion either, but if he made the decision to stay there it is because he really believed that he had to stay there. We are seeing a Nico who contributes a lot to Athletic, a great player who has already shown in the national team what he can generate and contribute to a team. Wherever he is, I will always be happy because I have a very good relationship with him and his brother.
Do you see yourself in Luis de la Fuente's next call-up?
At the moment I see myself in the next Barça. I always say that my club comes first, that's where I have to give 200%. Then, if something else comes along, it will be welcome, but obviously you have to do things very well here to go there. I haven't been able to go to the last ones, because that's what the manager has decided and you have to abide by it, just keep working so that if one day the flute sounds good, I can be there again.
And this Sunday's derby against Espanyol, do you experience it in a special way?
It's a great game, a game where a lot is at stake, whether you like it or not, because, apart from being a derby, you have to win it to stay up there. It's an attractive game, a different game. They will go for it, for them it's the game of the year and for us it's a special game too. We're going for it, for these three points, to keep that lead over Madrid and to think about our own game and enjoy it once again, because when the team enjoys itself on the pitch, it makes the people enjoy it and the results come.
