First of all, how are you feeling after the loss against Japan? The last game was a tough match, but we are already looking forward to it, it’s the round of 16 of a World Cup that you don’t experience every day and you have to enjoy it.
What role is Luis Enrique playing these days to face the duel against Morocco? He always supports us. I insist that it was a hard blow, we didn’t expect the result against Japan because we wanted to be first, but if you think about it, we are in the round of 16 after overcoming a difficult group.
What good has this unexpected puncture served them? We have realized that all matches are life or death. Luckily we have another opportunity and we pass round, but if you miss another ten minutes of disconnection, you go home
Therefore, do you interpret it as a serious warning? In a game of these characteristics, if you evade ten minutes of the game, they can score whatever goals they are, the ones the rival needs. But now we are really looking forward to the game against Morocco, which will not be easy.
“Before Japan I was in anguish”
Were you aware of the Germany-Costa Rica game while playing against Japan? I was looking at the scoreboard and when I saw that Costa Rica was second in the group and we were out. He tried to encourage his teammates to look for the goal he scored against us.
Did it give you peace of mind to know that Germany had come back? Honestly, I didn’t realize when Germany took the lead and we were second again. I was in anguish throughout the game, I asked the bench at the end and they told me that they were winning. It was a joy, but a stick for the result.
What do you think of Morocco, your next rival? It is a complicated opponent, especially physically. He arrives with very good results and you have to respect him.
Have you had the opportunity to chat with your partner Abde? I haven’t had the opportunity, I’m sure I’ll talk to him because we get along very well, although it’s true that I don’t talk much on the phone. He used to laugh a lot when he was with us. Morocco is a team that is not well known but with players with a lot of potential.
What references do you have of the rival? We haven’t studied it in depth yet, we do it one or two days before the game. The coach tells us the good and bad things about him, although we have seen the World Cup matches and we know how they play.
Are you suffering with the markings that are being done to you? The entire Spanish midfield likes to be in contact with the ball and, if they take it away from us, we are not comfortable.
“I notice the repercussion of what a World Cup is”
But does it come to condition your way of playing to always find yourself with a forest of legs around you? I try to be the same as always, although it is difficult because the rivals follow the man and leave you with no space. You have to try to find the free hole to do damage.
How are you assessing what it is to play a World Cup? I notice that it is a tournament that has much more repercussions abroad. A goal or an action comes out three times as often as it would be in the League or the Champions League. In that you can see, after all, it is a match with the national team, that everyone is important.
Are you looking forward to your first goal with La Roja? Yes, I want to score my first goal with the selection. If he kept saving it for me, I hope he gets here, during the World Cup.
How did it feel to see yourself in a giant longa in the center of Doha as one of the stars of the tournament? It is something very beautiful. I didn’t know until they passed me a photo and I found out at a press conference. I am very happy to be there, it is a source of pride.
“Xavi sent us a message”
Xavi Hernández was in Qatar for a few days, did you talk to him? He wished us luck before the games. He passed on his message to everyone on the team. We didn’t see him in person, but he did send a message on the phone.
In an appointment of this caliber, his coach at Barça could not miss… As a fan and footballer that he was, as well as a coach, he will love to see a World Cup and more to the national team.
By the way, Messi’s Argentina is already in the quarterfinals, did you see the match against Australia? Yes, they have a group of very good players. It shows the good vibes they have. They have the best in the world and I think the best player I’ve seen in my life is Leo. It is a plus in his favor. He was seen with the goal that he achieved against Australia and made the difference.
Have you changed the shirt with any rival? I traded her with David Raya, if that counts, because I wanted one of his. With the other teams, not yet.
Which would you like to have? Leo’s, so we would see each other in a hypothetical final.
There is still a long way to go for that. Has the equality of this World Cup impacted you? We have seen that Japan or South Korea have passed, that in principle people did not give much for them and there have been surprises.
“I got a little nervous with Iniesta”
The other day you received a visit from Iniesta, is it true that you got nervous when you met him? I got a little nervous, yes, I didn’t know what to tell him, but he is a very normal person, how he looks from the outside and I am very proud to have met my idol.
They compare a lot, but it’s been a long time to be able to talk face to face… We had never met. We had contacted by phone, but we didn’t know each other in person and it was very nice.
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Debut in the World Cup with victory ✅
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What comes to mind with the 2010 World Cup goal? I had just turned eight years old and seeing the man who gave us the first star is a source of pride.
Where was he at that time? In a hotel in Tenerife with my family and when the goal came in, madness broke out.
Did Andrés give you any advice? Above all that he enjoyed, the World Cups are very short lived, they are every four years and it is difficult to play them. You have to be at the highest level to be summoned.
“It would be nice to win the second star”
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Do you dream of adding the second star? There are four games left and hopefully it can happen. It would be very nice to give another star to this country.
Do you share the opinion that they are now going for the easy side of the draw? I don’t think so. On the other side, Brazil and Argentina, which are the favorites for almost everyone, but all the teams give a great level. Many teams eliminate the favorites and there is a lot of rivalry.