At 19.45, Olympiacos will face in Montjuic the Barcelonafor the 3rd matchday of the League Phase of the Champions League. THE Danny Garcia spoke to “AS” a few hours before the great match of the Red and Whites and mentioned several issues.
The ace of Piraeus noted that his team tonight against the “Blaugrana” will have his signature Jose Luis Mendiliberwhile he emphasized that he is still not thinking of retiring.
Everything he said in detail:
Are you happy in Athens?
“Yes. We found a fantastic city to live in and Olympiacos is the biggest club in Greece. We decided to start a new chapter. We are here with our one year old daughter. We always miss your family and of course the distance, which I wish was a little shorter.”
But there is a familiar face at the counter. Did you consult Medilibar before you left?
“Naturally. When deciding to start a new career, always ask questions to gather as much information as possible. Maddy is my friend, but when it comes to the professional world, I’m just another person.”
Valverde was there too, and he’s a legend.
“Yes, there is a lot of respect for him. Both left their mark.”
What Olympiacos will we see in “Montjuic”? Will anything change much because he faces Barcelona?
“Well, a team signed by Mendy, as anyone who has followed his career already knows. He doesn’t make changes and always looks ahead.”
Two years ago, Olympiacos won the Youth League. It’s impressive. It means there are some good young people.
“When you come to these places, you realize that their youth teams are also working here and they have interesting players. Olympiacos is doing well in this matter. This summer, Brighton signed Kostula for €40 million. And we have a midfielder, Mouzakitis, who is also very talented. He was part of the backbone of the Olympiakos team that won the Youth League.”
Barca, Real, are you excited?
“Honestly, I was telling my wife when the draw came out that I’m a bit lazy to face Barca and Madrid. But here in Athens, of course, it’s a fact.”
Maybe you’d like to face Bilbao more.
“Above all, I wish they had come here to experience the atmosphere at the Karaiskaki Stadium. It is, like San Mames, a stadium that brings football and matches to life in a special way. Football is experienced with such passion here and there would be a bond between the fans.”
Many battles with Barca. You once beat her in the Super Cup in La Cartuja. They led to Messi’s first dismissal in 753 Barca matches.
“You could only stop Messi with a foul, but I had nothing to do with the red card, right? (The attack was on Villalibre)”.
What memories do you have of those matches?
“You always remember the positives. There were games where you couldn’t even smell the ball, it’s true, but we also won the Super Cup, knocked them out of the Copa del Rey in San Mames, beat Bilbao 1-0 in La Liga with Andurith’s amazing goal towards the end.”
You said before that you could only stop Messi with a foul. Do you see Yamal at this level?
“Not yet, and I don’t think it helps to be compared to Messi. He’s just starting his career.”
There is a lot of talk about Yamal on the court, but also off the court. Is it too much noise?
“Of everything they say, you have to believe half of it. He needs to surround himself with people who protect him and give him good advice. He is already a world-class player.”
Do you see the end of your career? How do you see yourself after this?
“I still go to every training session with the same enthusiasm. With the same passion. I do not see the end, although I project myself. Sometimes I see myself as a coach and sometimes I lose the desire. I love football, but it’s also a complicated world. I have missed many things, moments with friends from the team. You think you haven’t even been able to go to their weddings in some cases. And then there’s the family, who suffer when you’re gone. You don’t see them much, you go away for five days concentrating and then you come back. For now, we’re happy here, but we’ll have to rethink everything when the time comes.”
Do you like Flick’s Barca?
“Last season he played very attractive, always attacking football. I still find him very strong.”
Which Olympiacos would you like to see in Barcelona?
“A team that is competitive, like the day we played against Arsenal. In the end we lost 2-0, but we were in the game and we held on. This is a team with the stamp of Madrid and we will give it a try.”
Source: Sport Fm
I am currently a news writer for News Bulletin247 where I mostly cover sports news. I have always been interested in writing and it is something I am very passionate about. In my spare time, I enjoy reading and spending time with my family and friends.
