In a recent interview, Alejandro Balde opened up about his experiences with the Barcelona first team, notably sharing his thoughts on his teammates including Lamine Yamal and the overall atmosphere within the squad this season.
At just 20 years old, Balde has already shown immense maturity both on and off the field, and after struggling for a bit with injury, the youngster looks to have started the season well.
Balde on Yamal, Nico Williams & New Signings
First and foremost, Balde spoke highly of Lamine Yamal, Barcelona’s latest prodigy, who has become a darling for Barça fans across the globe.
“I’m four years older than Lamine Yamal and I’m only 20. He’s very young, but he plays like a veteran. To do the things that he does at that age, I think it’s incredible. I knew he would break into the first team when he was 16 years old,” he said.
“Lamine Yamal’s talent does not surprise me. I follow football a lot, and I told my brother two years ago that Lamine would soon break into the first team,” he added.
Balde expressed support for another La Masia starlet Marc Bernal, who is currently sidelined due to injury. “I really like Marc Bernal, he’s a very good player. The injury is unfortunate, but he will be back.”
Balde went on to talk about Nico Williams, his close friend and the possibility of seeing him at Barcelona in the near future.
“Nico is a good friend, one of my best friends in football. But hey, a decision was made, and it has to be respected. I talk to him pretty much every day, and everyone decides what to do with their life and their career,” he said.
Raphinha recently commented that the team does not need any new signings, a sentiment Balde seemed to echo.
“We have good players, and we still have a lot of players out due to injury. For example, Gavi and Araujo will definitely help us a lot when they return,” Balde stated.
He continued, “We try not to read the press too much, we only think about the players in the squad. We’re not focusing on who comes or not. We have to work well with the players that we have.”
Reflecting on his own development, Balde expressed a clear desire to improve. “I’m only 20 years old, I can see many things. Mainly defending and decision making,” he shared.
“The truth is that the 2022/2023 season was my best. Everything went well. The idea is to get back to that level, both personally and collectively.”
He also spoke about his recovery from injury. “I had a long-term injury, but I feel good. I’ve been training fine for two months now, and I feel very good physically. I’ve been taking it little by little, picking up the pace,” he said.
Balde on Hansi Flick
Balde revealed some communication challenges in the new Hansi Flick regime due to language barriers but expressed that the team is coping well.
“In conversations when the coaching staff speak English, it’s a little difficult to understand inside the stadium. But so far, everything is fine,” he explained.
“Hansi Flick speaks English in the dressing room, but he also has a translator. Every time he says something, there’s someone else that repeats what he said in Spanish.”
Balde went on to touch upon the tactical approach under Flick and how Barcelona have evolved this season.
“Many of our goals are the result of good high pressing,” he noted. When asked about the team’s physical condition, he was cautious. “We’re working well, but I can’t talk about the differences between now and before. Each manager has their own philosophy to look for what is best for the team.”
Regarding the playing style under Hansi Flick, he mentioned, “Every manager has their own philosophy, maybe Flick’s football is more direct and vertical.”
Balde on competing with Real Madrid
When asked about competing with Real Madrid, especially after their high-profile signing of Kylian Mbappé, Balde remained focused.
“Mbappé is a very good player, but we have to focus on ourselves. We shouldn’t look at others and what they do. Football is a game of 11 vs 11,” he said.
Despite a strong start to the season, Balde urged caution. “It’s true, we started the season well, but we have to wait. We’re only in September and the season is very long,” he concluded.
Source: Diario SPORT
