Gerard Martín was interviewed by "Sport", where he discussed his experience as a left-back under Flick's management, his interactions with young teammates like Lamine Yamal, the arrival of Rodri, the rapid changes in his career, and Barcelona's objectives for the season. Below is the second half of the interview.

Related reading: [Gerard Martín: Lamine Yamal is the best player today and deserves to win the Ballon d'Or]

It must be great to see so many teammates from your Barcelona academy days playing together in the first team. Although some have left, most are still the same age, and the first team is almost like a "kindergarten". You must know each other very well and have a special bond, right?

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

Speaking of new faces, a video of you and Adeyemi went viral a few days ago during an away match in Seville. You seemed to be explaining something about the ball's chip to him?

That's right. During the second-half warm-up, we ran out of training balls. There were only a few match balls on the sideline, and these are strictly forbidden to touch beforehand. I was explaining that to him at the time.

Does this kind of overinterpretation from outside bother you? Or are these videos shared in the team's WhatsApp group for a laugh?

It doesn't bother us at all. Many of these videos are really hilarious (laughs).

Speaking of Adeyemi, he's quite a character, isn't he?

Yes, he has a very good-humored and witty personality.

Let's briefly assess some of your new teammates—a short paragraph for each. First, Adeyemi. What do you think of him?

He's a very genuine person, good-humored and fun. He's always smiling and always dedicated to the team with his whole heart.

And Gordon?

Gordon seems more serious, but actually he's quite funny too. He can be a bit more introverted, but I get along very well with him, and he's maintained a very high level of play from day one.

And Bissouma?

Bissouma is a very young guy with immense talent. I think he was born in 2008. He's very talented, but he's still very young and needs to gain experience and improve step by step.

Many people have mentioned the impact Rodri has had on the team, as if he grew up here on the pitch. What are your thoughts on his arrival and influence?

He's a world-class player who has always been accustomed to a dominant possession-based style of play, so he integrated very quickly. He has vast experience in major competitions and performs exceptionally well in critical moments of matches.

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

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

And your teammates? Were they all excited too?

Yes, everyone was shocked.

The latest signing is Hamza. What can you share about him based on your observations?

Hamza is really a bit more reserved, but he's very, very hardworking and has excellent character, also possessing enormous potential.

I want to talk about Szczesny. He mentioned in a previous interview that after the match against Inter Milan, he saw you very upset in the dressing room. He remembered wearing a bathrobe, perhaps even steaming, and then acted as a psychological counselor, advising you that you'd play many other semifinals in the future and that you should learn from this experience.

Yes, he's very experienced. He sat beside 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 lose many matches, but the most important thing is the final objective and the level you reach.

We were discussing this off-camera now. Although that semifinal was very painful, do you agree that it actually proved you had joined the ranks of the best fullbacks and defenders, and could even be considered your best performance to date? Do you think there's any other match that surpasses the one against Inter Milan?

Considering the stage and the strategic importance of the match, I do believe it was indeed a landmark game—very likely my best performance. There may be one or two other matches that can rival it in terms of quality, but providing two assists in a Champions League semifinal carries far more weight than a regular league match or group stage game.

One thing is quite remarkable: since you joined Barcelona, it seems you've never suffered an injury, which is a miracle in the dressing room and even across the entire club. What's the secret?

Well, I broke a bone in my hand with the national team in the summer, 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 lucky not to get injured. I hope this good fortune continues with me.

You also trained extra on your own during the off-season, and before preseason, we saw you at a clinic receiving medical guidance. How did that help you? How important is it to prepare so far in advance?

Due to various schedules, we had a month and a half of vacation at that time. You can't just do nothing for a month and a half and then jump straight into team training. To be in good physical condition at the start of preseason, I started training early; otherwise, I would be completely behind when official training began.

Having the same agent throughout your career, and now with your brother assisting you, does that 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, which is crucial for me. This industry is full of diverse interests, and it's very important to be surrounded by people who have been with me throughout my entire journey and witnessed my beginnings. I'm very grateful to them, and even though my career has gone through significant changes, I have no reason to change agents because they've been with me on this journey.

Regarding your contract renewal, the club has informally stated several times that the details are being finalized. From what we understand, 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'm very eager to play here for many years. I'll soon reach 100 matches for the first team, and I hope to have another 100 in the future, playing as much as I can.

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

Absolutely, mate. Although it needs to be earned through performance, I'm 100% willing. Everything is going well right now.

Rodri recently stated that in his opinion, Barcelona is not yet the main favorite for the Champions League, and the team still needs more improvement. What do you think about the outside world labeling the team as favorites?

Honestly, whether we're seen as favorites or not makes no difference to me, because our goal is always to win the Champions League. Being labeled as favorites doesn't add extra pressure, and not being favored doesn't ease our burden; our mentality remains consistent. As for what the outside world says, let them talk. We'll focus solely on our path and do our best to win trophies.

Traduzido por IA.

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