It was a difficult decision to say no twice to Barcelona. It was never a secret that I have admired them since I was a kid and that I always wished I could play for Barcelona. But life is made of hard decisions that sometimes go against what you dream of.
I never liked going to school and would sham and play football. I played in the centre forward position. If ever given a choice, I would love to represent Barcelona.
Barcelona, of course, it is part of me.
It will be difficult to finish my career here. I don’t know if I am going to end it at Barcelona, although I would like to. I don’t know what is going to happen.
Leo Messi is the best player in the world for me, but look at the others that have been at Barcelona.
It is obvious that it is nice for any player to know he is wanted by a team like Barcelona, with Guardiola as coach, and with players like Messi or Puyol.
I prefer Real Madrid to Barcelona.
I miss everything that surrounds the club. I miss my colleagues, my friends and everyone who cares for Barcelona.
Barcelona is one of the best cities in the world. I love it there. I love Big Sur. It’s stunning and you get a therapeutic experience there. The drive up the coast is one of the most beautiful I’ve ever done. Also, Hong Kong. I could easily live there!
At Barcelona, there is always talk of signings, but I want to compete with the best.
The haunting of history is ever present in Barcelona. I see cities as organisms, as living creatures. To me, Madrid is a man and Barcelona is a woman. And it’s a woman who’s extremely vain.
As I’m growing up, going into holding midfield, I’m watching Busquets quite a lot for Barcelona. The way he controls the game, his reading of it, technically, defensively – everything about him cuts him out above the rest. I’m really enjoying watching him.
As a player, you’d rather be up against Barcelona, Real Madrid, or Bayern. Big clubs. Great atmosphere. Real excitement.
I have big dreams, but if God would’ve told me that I had to sing in a local bar in Barcelona, and that that would be my life, that would be my life, I would’ve done it with the same passion.
Sometimes there’s too much noise about what’s happening, but this is Barcelona – it is a big club. Sometimes people make more of things than they have to. We need to try to close the team away from all that noise outside.
Every player has a dream to play at Barcelona for a long time, but you have different roles for the team.
The first couple days I didn’t realize it that much, but when I look back, I’m just like, ‘Wow, I play for Barcelona!’ Because everything went so fast the first couple days.
There is a company in Barcelona called Headless, and I was a huge fan. I love their style. I had been trying to work with them for years. ‘A Monster Calls’ was the perfect project to work on with them.
In Europe, I always say that Barcelona and Real Madrid are the ones to look out for.
It’s difficult to adapt to Barcelona.
I’ve never been to Barcelona, I’d like to go there; also South America.
The big clubs will always talk about the same names such as Ancelotti, Mourinho, and Wenger. Louis Van Gaal is always in there as well. He has his own style and is a very determined man. He knows exactly what he wants. He’s got direction, the ability and experience at big clubs such as Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
England is the biggest league in the world. Of course, you have Barcelona and Real Madrid but, as a league, England is in my opinion the best in the world.
This is a huge club, everyone is interested in what’s happening in Barcelona, you lose one game and you are criticised a lot, then in seven days’ time you win and everyone loves you again.
It’s nice there are a lot of big clubs that are interested in me, but if one of those is Barcelona, that’s special.
It’s like Barcelona who have Messi. He decides games with his attacking play; Oblak resolves them with his saves.
I was captain in Atletico at 19, playing in the same team as Demetrio Albertini, who won three Champions Leagues, and Sergi Barjuan from Barcelona, who had won everything, and they were 32, 33. I was a kid as captain, so I wasn’t the real captain, just a kid learning from them.
Everybody knows that Coutinho is a great footballer – here in England, they call him ‘The Magician.’ He made his decision to join Barcelona, but every time we meet and play for the Selecao, we have a good chat and maintain that friendship. He is an exceptional guy and one of the best friends football has given me.
I will always be a Barcelona supporter, no matter what finally happens.
It seems Barcelona are expected to win every title, but it is not always like this. People think Barca win automatically, but that’s not the case.
Barcelona has always had issues with Brazilian players: Neymar, Romario, Ronaldinho, and me. We were all treated badly by the club in the end, despite all our contributions and dedication.
Obviously, training at Barcelona is a fantastic experience. You train alongside players like Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta, who are clearly some of the best players in the world.
People remember the treble in 1999 as if we only had to turn up to collect three trophies. But on that cup run, we were 1-0 down against Liverpool going into injury time, and we turned it around to win 2-1. And everyone remembers the Champions League final in Barcelona, where the same thing happened.
I have not betrayed Barca, and I’m surprised anyone would doubt my commitment to Barcelona, because I’ve been a fan since birth.
Barcelona is an open and multicultural city. It’s brimming with a very special creative energy. If you pay attention, you may be easily inspired by the places and people living there.
A woman can be physically fit enough to drive a Formula 1 car. I did the race distance in Barcelona so I have proved that it is possible.
The truth is my idea has been to always stay at Barcelona and see out the rest of my career here. Like I always say, one doesn’t know what can happen in the future, but if it were up to me to decide, I would stay at Barcelona for the rest of my career.
Barcelona is the best club in the world, and I am looking forward to playing with some of the best players in the world, such as Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi. I will do everything possible to contribute to this team.
I don’t know how many Michelin stars Barcelona has, but you don’t have to spend big money to eat great.
Milionaria’ is the first song I’ve composed and I published in Catalan, it’s also the first song I do inspired by Catalan rumba. I started it in Seville while I was waiting at the airport and I finished it in Barcelona.
For ‘Vicky Cristina Barcelona,’ for example, Woody Allen is one of the greatest American directors, and we really had a very good working relationship. We understand each other really well. He gave me one of the best opportunities somebody has ever given me in my career.
Some of my worst moments in football have been losing semi-finals, the Barcelona game in 2009 probably more than most. But you have to take it and bounce back.
Barcelona want to be at their best in every match.
The more better players we have at Barcelona, the better it is for the team and coach.
It’s normal that a club like Barcelona need more than one top-level goalkeeper.
I have the advantage of having worked with Messi and Mascherano at Barcelona.
To play for Barcelona will help me show my best qualities to the world.
Clubs like Manchester United or Barcelona have a system, and then you hire personnel who fit this system.
If all goes well, I can play for many years at Barcelona.
I don’t think it’s fair comparing Barcelona’s style with that of Roma.
Barcelona is my life, and I do not plan to leave.
At Barcelona, all men’s and women’s teams have the same style and philosophy.
I was close to joining Barcelona and Real Madrid, but I am happy to have remained at Inter because I knew that sooner or later our moment to shine would arrive, and it did.
Pep’s Barcelona was spectacular. They had a collective style based on players of talent, which sought control and sought to dominate all over the pitch.
I am happy at Everton, but the only team I want to play for is Barcelona.
I’ve always been a great lover of Barcelona and the structure of the club.
There’s not a single club out there that can compete with Barcelona.
Guardiola won so many trophies at Barcelona that he had a huge impact.
If I ever leave Fiorentina, I would very much like to go to Manchester United because out of the three best teams in Europe – United, Lazio, and Barcelona – Manchester, in my opinion, is the best.
The problem is that when Argentina doesn’t play well – and the same is true of Barcelona – the press think it is easy to blame Messi. We have seen time and time again that he wins games on his own when the team is not performing – but the media expect him to always be the hero.
It’s a good place for me, Wembley. In 1983, I played for Denmark when we beat England there 1-0, and in 1992, I played for Barcelona when we beat Sampdoria 1-0 in the Champions League final.
FC Barcelona are known all over the world for playing attractive football, and I naturally wanted to be part of that.
