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

Read more: [Gerard Martín: Yamal is the best player right now, deserves the Ballon d'Or]

It must be great to see so many young players from Barcelona's academy in the first team. Although some have left, most are around the same age, making the first team almost like a "nursery." You all know each other well, so the atmosphere must be very good?

That's right, everyone is very young, so the dressing room atmosphere is fantastic. At the same time, the team also has experienced veterans, and this combination of youth and experience is very beneficial for the entire squad.

Speaking of new faces, a few days ago, a video of you and Adeyemi at Sevilla went viral on social media. It looked like you were explaining something about the ball's curve to him?

That's correct. During the warm-up for the second half, we didn't have training balls available. There were only a few match balls outside on the field, and those balls were off-limits until the match started. I was just explaining this to him.

Does it bother you when people read too much into things like this? Or are these videos shared in the team's WhatsApp group for fun?

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

Speaking of Adeyemi, he's a very interesting person, isn't he?

That's right, he has a great sense of humor and is very witty.

Quickly assess a few new teammates, one sentence each. First, what do you think of Adeyemi?

He's a very genuine, funny, and cheerful person—always smiling and always giving his best for the team.

What about Gordon?

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

What about Bissouma?

Bissouma is a very young player, extremely talented, born in 2008 I believe. He has a lot of potential, but he's still very young and needs to develop and refine his skills step by step.

Many have mentioned Rodri's impact on the team, as if he grew up here. How do you assess his arrival and influence?

He's a world-class player who is accustomed to possession-based football, so he adapted very quickly. He has experience in big matches and performs excellently in crucial moments.

Rodri's transfer was kept completely secret. Do you remember where you were and how you reacted when you learned he was actually joining Barcelona?

I remember I was in the dressing room, and an urgent news alert popped up on my phone. I said: "Oh my God, he's really coming!"

What about your teammates? Were they all excited too?

That's right, everyone was quite shocked.

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

Hamza is indeed a bit shy, but he's very, very hardworking, has an excellent character, and also possesses tremendous potential.

I want to talk about Szczesny. In a previous interview, he mentioned seeing you very disappointed in the dressing room after the Inter Milan match. He remembers wearing a bathrobe, even vaping perhaps, and acting like a psychologist, telling you that you'll play many more semi-finals in the future and should learn from that experience.

That's right, he's very experienced. He sat next to me and asked why I was crying, telling me to look back at where I was a year and a half ago and what I've achieved since then. He also told me that over a long career, you'll lose many matches, but what matters most is your determination and your ultimate accomplishments.

We also discussed this off camera. Although that semi-final was painful, do you agree that it actually proved you're among the top full-backs and center-backs, and perhaps even your best performance to date? Do you think any other match could surpass that performance against Inter Milan?

Considering the importance of the match and the tactical battle, I think it was a defining moment and possibly my best performance. Perhaps one or two other matches could compare in terms of quality, but providing two assists in a Champions League semi-final carries much more weight than a league match or a regular group stage game.

One thing that's quite remarkable: since you joined Barcelona, you appear to have never suffered a serious injury, which is almost miraculous in the dressing room and across the entire club. What's the secret?

Well, I did break my hand with the national team last summer, but otherwise I haven't. I'm not sure 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 good fortune continues.

You've also paid for additional training during the off-season. Before the season started, we saw you at a clinic receiving guidance from a doctor. How has this helped you? What's the benefit of preparing so early?

With the congested fixture schedule, we had about a month and a half of rest, and you can't just do nothing for that long and then suddenly jump into team training. To ensure I was in peak condition when the season started, I began training early. Otherwise, I would be completely unprepared when team training began.

Having the same agent throughout your career, and now with your brother's support, 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. This industry has many different interests, and 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. Even with significant changes in my career, I have no reason to change agents because they're the ones who've been with me on this journey.

Regarding your contract extension, the club has unofficially stated multiple times that details are being finalized. From what we understand, there are no obstacles from your side, 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'm approaching my 100th appearance for the first team, and I hope to have another hundred more in the future, playing as long as possible.

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

Absolutely, my friend. Although you have to earn it through performances, I'm 100% ready. Everything is going very well right now.

Rodri recently stated that, in his view, Barcelona is still not a top contender for the Champions League, and the team still needs refinement and improvement. What do you think about the outside world labeling the team as a dark horse?

Honestly, whether we're considered favorites or not doesn't really matter to me, because our goal is always to win the Champions League. Being labeled as a favorite doesn't add extra pressure, and not being favored doesn't reduce the burden on us; our attitude remains consistent. As for what the outside world says, let them talk. We'll just focus on our own path and give everything to win the trophy.

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