Gerard Martín was interviewed by "Sport", discussing his experience transitioning to centre-back under Flick, his interactions with young teammates like Yamal, the arrival of Rodri, the rapid changes in his career, and Barcelona's targets for this season. Below is the second part of the interview.

Related reading: [Gerard Martín: Yamal is the best player right now, deserves to win the Ballon d'Or]

It must be wonderful to see young players from Barcelona's academy, around your age, fighting together in the first team. Although some have left, most of them are your age, and the first team is almost like a "kindergarten." You all know each other well, so your relationships must be very good, right?

Yes, everyone is very young, so the dressing room atmosphere is fantastic. However, at the same time, there are experienced veterans in the team, and this mix of young and experienced players is very beneficial for the entire squad.

Speaking of new faces, a few days ago, a video of you and Adeyemi during the trip to Sevilla went viral. It looked like you were explaining something about the ball's chip to him?

That's right. During the warm-up in the second half, we didn't have training balls available. There were only a few balls on the sideline identical to the match ball, and those balls were strictly forbidden to touch beforehand. I was explaining that to him at the time.

Does this kind of overinterpretation by the outside world bother you? Or are these videos shared in the team's WhatsApp group as material for jokes?

It doesn't bother us at all; many of the videos are actually quite funny (laughs).

Speaking of Adeyemi, he's a very interesting and enthusiastic character, isn't he?

Yes, he has a very funny and clever personality.

Let me get your comments on a few new teammates—just a short paragraph for each. First, what's your take on Adeyemi?

He's a very sincere, humorous, and funny person. He's always smiling and fully dedicates himself to the team at all times.

What about Gordon?

Gordon appears more serious, but he's actually quite funny. He may be a bit more introverted, but I get along well with him, and he's maintained a very high level of performance from the start.

What about Bissouma?

Bissouma is a very young and very talented player. I believe he was born in 2008. He's extremely talented, but he's still too young and needs to gain experience and develop himself step by step.

Many people have mentioned the impact Rodri has had on the team; on the pitch, it's as if he grew up here. How do you see his arrival and influence?

He's a world-class player who is always accustomed to a dominant, possession-based style of play, so he integrated very quickly. He has extensive experience in big matches and has played brilliantly in crucial moments.

Rodri's transfer was kept very confidential. Do you remember where you were and what your reaction was when you found out he was really coming to Barcelona?

I remember being in the dressing room when a news notification popped up on my phone, and I exclaimed, "My God, he's really coming!"

What about your teammates? Were they all excited too?

Yes, everyone was shocked.

Finally, the last new arrival, Hamza. What can you tell us about him based on your observations?

Hamza is somewhat shy, but he's very, very hardworking, has excellent character, and also has tremendous potential.

I want to talk about Szczesny. In a previous interview, he mentioned that after the match against Inter Milan, he saw you very down in the dressing room. He remembers wearing a bathrobe, maybe even smoking an e-cigarette, and then acted as a psychological counselor, comforting you by saying you'd play in more semi-finals in the future and that you should learn from the experience.

Yes, he's very experienced. He sat next to me and asked why I was crying, telling me to look at where I was a year and a half ago and what I've achieved now. He also told me that in a long career, you will always lose many matches, but what matters most is your ambition and highest achievements.

We also discussed this off-camera earlier. Although that semi-final was very painful, do you agree that it actually proved you've joined the ranks of top fullbacks and centre-backs, and perhaps even marked your best performance to date in your career? Do you think there's another match that could surpass that one against Inter Milan?

Considering the stage and strategic importance of the match, I believe it was indeed a statement performance, and likely my best to date. Perhaps one or two other matches could compare in terms of quality, but providing two assists in a Champions League semi-final carries far more weight than a regular league match or a group stage game.

One thing that's truly remarkable: since you joined Barcelona, you seem to have never suffered a serious injury, which is a miracle in the dressing room and throughout the club. What's your secret?

Well, I did break my hand during the summer with the national team, but other than that, no. I don't know what to say; I always try my best to take care of my body, and so far, I've been fortunate enough to avoid injuries. I hope this luck continues.

You also do extra training during the off-season, and before pre-season, we saw you at the clinic receiving medical guidance. How does this help you? Why is it important to start preparation so early?

Because of all the matches, we had about a month and a half of rest, and you can't just do nothing for a month and a half and then jump straight into full training. To be in good physical condition from the start of pre-season, I begin training earlier. Otherwise, I'd be completely unprepared when official training starts.

Having the same agent throughout your career, and now your brother helping you, does this give you a strong sense of security?

I've worked with this agent for about six or seven years, and now my brother is involved too, which is very important to me. In this industry, there are various interests at play, so it's crucial to stand with people who have been with me throughout my journey and witnessed my beginnings. I'm very grateful to them, and although my career has undergone significant changes, I have no reason to change agents because they've been with me from the start.

Regarding your contract extension, the club has unofficially stated multiple times that details are being finalized. As far as we know, there are no obstacles on your end, and if it were up to you, you'd even be willing to play here until retirement, right?

Of course, I very much want to play here for many years. I'll soon reach 100 first-team appearances, and I hope to have another 100 in the future, playing for as long as I can.

If they offered you a lifetime contract, would you sign it?

Of course, mate. Although it would require delivering through performance, I'm 100% willing. Everything is going very well right now.

Rodri recently stated that, in his view, Barcelona isn't yet the main favourite for the Champions League, and the team still needs further refinement and improvement. What's your take on the outside world labelling the team as favourites?

Honestly, whether we're considered favourites or not is the same to me, because our goal is always to win the Champions League. Being labelled favourites won't add extra pressure, and not being favourites won't lighten the load; our mentality remains consistent. As for what the outside world says, let them say it. We'll just focus on our own path and do our best to win the trophy.

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