According to Diario AS, former Barcelona star Iniesta recently gave a video interview in which he directly addressed the Negreira case, stating that "even if you analyze all the matches from that time, you won't find even a fraction of what is called help," and emphasized that he has never felt any favoritism from referees. Iniesta also shared his coaching experience in the UAE, his views on the Ballon d'Or, and topics related to the Spanish national team.

While coaching Al Ain in the UAE, Iniesta has also sponsored a cycling team, runs a winery, manages real estate and fashion businesses, and launched an interactive exhibition about himself, "Iniesta: The Inner Game," at an IMAX venue in Barcelona through his company "Never Say Never." The former Barça player gave a video interview from the UAE, discussing his new life as a coach and recent developments, from the Ballon d'Or to the national team, and the Negreira case.

How are you doing? How's the weather in the UAE?

Very well, nothing to complain about. It's still very hot here, but we're trying to adapt as much as possible.

How has your coaching experience been?

Everything is going well, and what surprised me is the serious approach to working with the team and the players. Even though it's just the UAE First Division, everything is very professional. Every day brings me something new: training preparation, matches, opponent analysis.

Have you completed all your coaching certifications?

I'm still in the process; the Pro License course starts in October, which is the final step.

As a coach, are you in a learning phase or focused on winning?

Always focused on winning. It's an educational process because you must complete different stages required by the course, and each level has its own phases. But clearly, when you're there, results determine your demands and the level of pressure you face.

Most players who transition to coaching say being a player was easier and calmer. Do you feel that way?

Yes, you could say so. As a player, you only worry about playing; now you have to worry about everything. As a player, you don't think about football 24 hours a day, even though you live for football 24 hours a day. You're living for football 24 hours a day, but it's not always revolving around the match like it is as a coach.

So you can never fully disconnect now?

You try to disconnect because it's necessary. But it's true that you play a match on Friday, and by Monday you're already thinking about the next one, preparing Tuesday and Wednesday, and by Thursday, everything could be discarded and redone. You pay attention to many details. I also have a coaching staff, and everyone has clear divisions of labor, responsibilities, areas, and authority.

One of the taglines for the "Iniesta: The Inner Game" exhibition is that it will allow people to discover the "real Iniesta." Given how much you're in the media, do you think people don't really know you?

I think I've always tried to be transparent. Most people from my era know me well. I've always shown my true self, both positive and less positive aspects. But through this immersive experience, there may still be things unseen. I even told my manager that when I watch it myself, I hope to see something that surprises me.

Is there something about yourself that even you don't know?

Possibly. There are things no one has told me about.

For example?

After I went through a period of depression, I later learned that my family had consulted psychologists about how to handle it. At the time, I had no idea and was completely unaware of it.

This experience revolves around four themes: expectations, vulnerability, overcoming challenges, and mental health. As a public figure, is it difficult to acknowledge vulnerability?

There's always a part of us trying to project an image of strength, invincibility, and omnipotence. To some degree, this is necessary, because sometimes appearance matters more than actual needs. But that's not contradictory; expressing or sharing emotions doesn't mean you're weak, incompetent, or not strong enough. Over time, everything can gradually be understood.

Speaking of projecting yourself, you've never won the Ballon d'Or, and I imagine you had expectations and felt you deserved it, but you never publicly demanded it. The trend now is completely different; everyone promotes themselves and makes demands. What do you think about that?

I don't know if the world has changed or if the way we view things has changed. I'm not sure. I like to think, and have always thought, that what fans of every team want most is to see their team win titles, not the Ballon d'Or. Everyone values this award differently.

Do you value the Ballon d'Or?

Overall, I think people value titles more. I'm not sure what to say.

Come on, try to explain.

It's just that sometimes we focus too much on the individual rather than the collective. When I hear how important the Ballon d'Or is... I don't know. What people want is national championships and the Champions League; the awards that come with them. A Ballon d'Or can't be compared to a national championship or Champions League.

So no one goes out celebrating a Ballon d'Or.

Exactly. Everything has its level, and sometimes we want to treat it as the most important thing, but it's not.

Then the World Cup is what matters most. You're no longer the only one to score the winning goal for Spain in a final. Given your personality, I imagine you're happy about that, aren't you?

Of course, no doubt about it. Ultimately, for Spain as a nation and national team, having one star and two stars is different. The second star means even more.

What differences do you see between this generation of players and the one that won in 2010?

This group of players is still very young. The challenge is keeping the team's mindset sharp to continue performing at this level. If you look four, six, or eight years ahead, the core of this team will be at the peak of their football careers. Both the present and the future are very bright.

Regarding the Negreira case, how did you feel hearing those accusations?

From a football perspective, there's nothing to argue about. The issue remains unresolved, but even if you analyze all the matches involved at that time, you won't find even a fraction of what is called favoritism. I have never heard, seen, or felt any help. In every match, fans and players always feel favoritism toward the opponent.

Are you surprised I didn't ask you who your favorite is for the Ballon d'Or?

Perhaps because I'm abroad. But I haven't thought much about it. Before this interview, I didn't think, "Let me see who they want me to say will win." To be honest, I hope it's a Spanish player. After winning the World Cup, that would be fitting.

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