How have these months been without playing?
It was difficult but we've turned it into an advantage.While I wasn't playing I was trying to adapt to the Barcelona style and system. It was like a class but I knew I would wear that Barcelona shirt and I was happy. That motivated me
The first day
Of course, I was nervous. Luis Suárez was joking with Leo Messi and they were joking that I couldn't breath right because of the nerves. But we've overcome that.
Midfield or up-front?
In the centre of the pitch, further back, I've also felt very comfortable. The most important thing is that the best players are here. It doesn't matter how much I play nor where I play. Our team is very good and I'm just trying to be an important piece in this team.
Galatasaray
I'm in a very good team and everyone knows how to play well. We know how to win titles. When I was 21 years old and was captain of Galatasaray, I did not have those experiences. We saw everything very differently. Now we know how to keep our positions, we know how to have patience and we know how we're going to work... we're in a very good team and that takes a bit of the pressure off. Also, we have a lot of good players and I don't have to dribble past everyone. I don't have to be a leader, just a piece to this team. And when they need me, obviously, I'll do everything I need to do, I'll score goals ... whatever it is. I comply with my roles.
The team's style
From the outside it looks like chess, easy to do... tiki taka... but it's not. Everyone has a role, a position, everyone must comply with that role. It looks like a game of chess and it's not easy.
Lack of hunger?
Of course we all have that hunger. We especially have one objective: repeat what was done last year. We want to win it all and that's why we have hunger. Nobody has been able to repeat it. Win all the titles again, especially the Champions.
Is it a challenge?
No, we're all dreaming of it.
Arsenal
Obviously we must respect Arsenal and all other opponents. But we're Barcelona. We must play like we do and maintain concentration and we'll be able to eliminate every team.
Are you invincible?
What we have to do is repeat what we did last year. The three titles of last year. People can think that we have no challengers and that we're very strong and that is an error. In the league we have rivals, the Champions is difficult. To think we don't have rivals would make us much weaker. We could lose concentration and we don't want that, we don't even think about that. Before semifinals we're going to have very different days, with different motivations. The matches are very difficult
Trident Messi, Suárez, Neymar
It's more important... Obviously they're very good, they're some of the best, but the key thing is that they love each other a lot. That's fundamental.
Are they the best?
Yes, I think so. They're the best trio.
Team
A while ago I had another interview and I said it like this. They're very special but we're a team. Mascherano, Piqué, Alves, Jordi, Busi, Ivan, Sandro, Sergi Roberto, Rafa, Adriano... they're all important, but we're a team that works in defence. Suárez, Neymar, Messi and them are fundamental. I've said all the names and they all support that trident. People who win a lot of awards, make a lot of lists, but will never win these trophies. For Busquets to be special he doesn't have to win any award, neither does Iniesta, who seem to not have any importance because how many goals do they score, how many assists...
Luis Enrique's Barça is the best team of all time?
It can be discussed because Pep Guardiola also had a lot of success, after winning six trophies. I also really liked Rijkaard's team. That was also good, but we're trying to do something better.
Difference between Luis Enrique and Guardiola
There were differences between both managers. Now there's Suárez and Neymar playing with Messi. It was a team that also played tiki-taka and had Villa and Pedro who were very special. Andrés played more forward. It was a team that circulated the ball a lot under Guardiola and now we play much more vertically, to score goals.
Respect
They're very special players. They're showing what they have, all their talent. They add more from their talents to have more fun, after winning 4-1 and we only think about our game, and like I said we have to respect Arsenal, or whichever team. We only think in our way to play. Everything they do in their game is natural. In training they do the same.
The penalty
Leo, Neymar and Luis want to make football more fun, not just for the team, they do it for football. They want to make this more fun.
Role in the team
It's part of my character. While I play, I do what I need to do. If I need to do it, I do it, doesn't matter if I have the level to do or not. I just try to play, enjoy it and win titles, nothing more.
Real Madrid and Zidane
Real Madrid is our rival. I don't have much of an idea. We're just concentrated on our own thing and I don't want to say more or talk about it. Sorry.
0-4 in the Bernabéu
I was really happy at home. I won 4-0 against Real Madrid as well with Atlético. It's different to play against them because I already had this result. I was very happy and of course I enjoyed it. I celebrated it at home.
Desire to face Real Madrid at Camp Nou
I'm just thinking about the titles, nothing more. I'm not going to mark anything on my calendar.
Clásico
Being in this environment and scoring goals, especially in the Clásico, is important and very nice. But we see it like just another game and we must win it, nothing more.
Neymar and his contract
We never talk about this stuff and it doesn't affect me.
Simeone and Luis Enrique
I think both managers are similar. One is more concentrated in playing defensively and another in playing offensively. Both are aggressive, they show their guns to their teams. They're two of the best in the world.
Defensively I've learned a lot from Simeone, where to position myself and what to do. From Luis, especially how to play defensively and offensively. And now I'm learning a lot more, like the style of Barcelona
Victory in the Molinón
Everyone sees it like this, but I don't. If we're mathematically champions then that's that. Now we must focus on each game.
Champions League
I'm here to win that title. It's one of my objectives. I just needed one minute and a half because this trophy is very different, and special.
You have to fight in football. We fight. If I lose, I'd rather lose like that, fighting, suffering. Our fans support us a lot. I felt very proud when. When I'm thinking of the final, I only remember that. Nothing else.
Source