‘I never wanted to leave England and I’m happy I came back with City’
The Manchester City and Spain midfielder reflects on a tough couple of weeks after successive defeats, including an early Champions League exit at the hands of Real Madrid
AFTER GOING OUT OF THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE, YOU LOST TO TOTTENHAM IN WSL. HOW HARD HAS THE START TO THE SEASON BEEN?
I know it’s been two really hard weeks for us but sometimes in football it makes the game interesting. It was a massive mistake as a team, being out of the Champions League is a massive thing for the club and we talk as a team about how to get better. Arsenal (on Sunday) is a big game for us now and we have to get back on the pitch and deal with it.
SPEAKING OF ARSENAL, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT FACING YOUR OLD CLUB?
Weird! I have very good memories and when I think about Arsenal, I think about all the love the fans gave me in my first experience in England. I will always be thankful for that.
IS THIS THE IDEAL CHANCE TO BOUNCE BACK AGAINST A TITLE RIVAL ON SUNDAY?
When we lost against Tottenham, as a player it’s a horrible feeling when you’re not used to it and you think that you’ve lost everything. But it’s just the start of the season and we still have to play against the big sides and I think we can get the three points this weekend.
LOSING JUST ISN’T IN YOUR NATURE, IS IT?
It’s true I haven’t lost games in a very long time. I had an amazing two years at Barca but I came here to experience new things and sometimes you have to experience losing and then come back stronger. I’m sure we will do that.
WAS IT YOUR INTENTION TO RETURN TO ENGLAND ONE DAY AFTER PLAYING IN SPAIN?
I never wanted to leave and always wanted to come back but never thought it was going to be this early, I’m so happy. Things move so quickly in football and you have to make decisions. I’m so, so happy I came back to a big club like City.
HOW DID YOU END UP SIGNING FOR GARETH TAYLOR’S SIDE?
The last months in Barcelona were a bit of a mess. I didn’t know what I was going to do but I knew I wanted to leave. I wanted something different, something new, to keep that passion and waking up every morning being happy playing football. This was a last-minute option, I had a lot of offers from Spain but I didn’t see myself wearing a shirt there other than Barca’s so I was happy when I got the call from Gareth.
‘Pep is a very normal guy, just talking football and about how I was adapting to the city and the club’
YOU WON THE TREBLE, INCLUDING THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE, IN SPAIN LAST TERM.
It was unforgettable and unique. It’s very hard to win and the way we did it we worked for a long time to achieve. Everything just came together, there were sacrifices like no days off and it was super-intense every day. I was very lucky.
HAVE YOU HAD A CHANCE TO MEET PEP GUARDIOLA FOR COFFEE YET?
I did. I’d never met him before but I met him and some of the Spanish guys from the team and it was a big day for me. I grew up watching him on TV, it was really exciting. He’s a very normal guy, just talking football and about how I was adapting to the city and the club.