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Sometimes we tend to normalise things, and sometimes things come along that you didn't expect or even imagine you could do with your club. If I take time to pause I can really appreciate what it means to play in the Champions League with the club at which I’ve been my whole career. It means a lot, especially because I did it with people I’ve been playing and working with for years. I looked around and I said to myself: 'Wow, these guys were with me five years ago in the reserve team'. I'm very proud of that.
Yes. I was a ball boy against Manchester United, I remember that really clearly. I really admired the team back then and the feeling of actually getting to play in such games is hard to put into words. There was a certain amount of envy, because you’re hoping one day you’ll get your chance. I was really young but I was always thinking about playing in that competition.
I hope that this season isn’t just a one-off, just one for the history books, just something that happens every ten years. We have to take a step forward and we have to keep up our standards so that we’re able to make the Champions League again and again. Apart from enjoying the experience and learning from it, we’re capable of going one step further, and to at least make it through the group stage. It’s a very tough group and we’re aware of that, but we’ve already shown that we can do impressive things.
One thing I pay a lot of attention to is how the opposition press, because depending on how they press we act in one way or another, being aware of who is free around us. Then I just try to let things flow on the pitch. I don't think too much, I try to let everything come out naturally and that's it. Positioning is a key factor in our game. Having the ball is important, it gives me peace of mind and confidence that things are going well. Sometimes I won’t see as much of the ball, but that means I’m luring my marker away [and leaving space] for others to make use of possession. It all depends on how the game goes.
Sometimes we tend to normalise things, and sometimes things come along that you didn't expect or even imagine you could do with your club. If I take time to pause I can really appreciate what it means to play in the Champions League with the club at which I’ve been my whole career. It means a lot, especially because I did it with people I’ve been playing and working with for years. I looked around and I said to myself: 'Wow, these guys were with me five years ago in the reserve team'. I'm very proud of that.
Yes. I was a ball boy against Manchester United, I remember that really clearly. I really admired the team back then and the feeling of actually getting to play in such games is hard to put into words. There was a certain amount of envy, because you’re hoping one day you’ll get your chance. I was really young but I was always thinking about playing in that competition.
I hope that this season isn’t just a one-off, just one for the history books, just something that happens every ten years. We have to take a step forward and we have to keep up our standards so that we’re able to make the Champions League again and again. Apart from enjoying the experience and learning from it, we’re capable of going one step further, and to at least make it through the group stage. It’s a very tough group and we’re aware of that, but we’ve already shown that we can do impressive things.
One thing I pay a lot of attention to is how the opposition press, because depending on how they press we act in one way or another, being aware of who is free around us. Then I just try to let things flow on the pitch. I don't think too much, I try to let everything come out naturally and that's it. Positioning is a key factor in our game. Having the ball is important, it gives me peace of mind and confidence that things are going well. Sometimes I won’t see as much of the ball, but that means I’m luring my marker away [and leaving space] for others to make use of possession. It all depends on how the game goes.
Yes, and many coaches are former academy players. This motivates you further to pay close attention to them because they’ve had this experience. I feel lucky to have had Imanol [Alguacil] as coach, and also Xabi Alonso when I was in the reserve team. I really look up to them.
He was important to me because he joined in a season in which I wanted to play more minutes. When he joined, I got the chance to play in the starting XI. I really connected with him and I felt that he appreciated me and really wanted me to improve. It was an important season.
He was physically strong. He wasn’t very pacy but made up for it with his tackling skills. His sliding tackles were great. His short passing was really good and he was also able to play the final ball. I really admire him for that.
It meant a lot. Both of them are highly respected, because of how they play but mostly because of what they’re like as people. They’re some of the best players we’ve had here. It makes you feel proud. People from Gipúzkoa have pretty strong characters. We all have similar traits and seeing that they're enjoying themselves and achieving great things in professional football is awesome.
Sometimes we tend to normalise things, and sometimes things come along that you didn't expect or even imagine you could do with your club. If I take time to pause I can really appreciate what it means to play in the Champions League with the club at which I’ve been my whole career. It means a lot, especially because I did it with people I’ve been playing and working with for years. I looked around and I said to myself: 'Wow, these guys were with me five years ago in the reserve team'. I'm very proud of that.
Yes. I was a ball boy against Manchester United, I remember that really clearly. I really admired the team back then and the feeling of actually getting to play in such games is hard to put into words. There was a certain amount of envy, because you’re hoping one day you’ll get your chance. I was really young but I was always thinking about playing in that competition.
I hope that this season isn’t just a one-off, just one for the history books, just something that happens every ten years. We have to take a step forward and we have to keep up our standards so that we’re able to make the Champions League again and again. Apart from enjoying the experience and learning from it, we’re capable of going one step further, and to at least make it through the group stage. It’s a very tough group and we’re aware of that, but we’ve already shown that we can do impressive things.
One thing I pay a lot of attention to is how the opposition press, because depending on how they press we act in one way or another, being aware of who is free around us. Then I just try to let things flow on the pitch. I don't think too much, I try to let everything come out naturally and that's it. Positioning is a key factor in our game. Having the ball is important, it gives me peace of mind and confidence that things are going well. Sometimes I won’t see as much of the ball, but that means I’m luring my marker away [and leaving space] for others to make use of possession. It all depends on how the game goes.
Sometimes we tend to normalise things, and sometimes things come along that you didn't expect or even imagine you could do with your club. If I take time to pause I can really appreciate what it means to play in the Champions League with the club at which I’ve been my whole career. It means a lot, especially because I did it with people I’ve been playing and working with for years. I looked around and I said to myself: 'Wow, these guys were with me five years ago in the reserve team'. I'm very proud of that.
Yes. I was a ball boy against Manchester United, I remember that really clearly. I really admired the team back then and the feeling of actually getting to play in such games is hard to put into words. There was a certain amount of envy, because you’re hoping one day you’ll get your chance. I was really young but I was always thinking about playing in that competition.
I hope that this season isn’t just a one-off, just one for the history books, just something that happens every ten years. We have to take a step forward and we have to keep up our standards so that we’re able to make the Champions League again and again. Apart from enjoying the experience and learning from it, we’re capable of going one step further, and to at least make it through the group stage. It’s a very tough group and we’re aware of that, but we’ve already shown that we can do impressive things.
One thing I pay a lot of attention to is how the opposition press, because depending on how they press we act in one way or another, being aware of who is free around us. Then I just try to let things flow on the pitch. I don't think too much, I try to let everything come out naturally and that's it. Positioning is a key factor in our game. Having the ball is important, it gives me peace of mind and confidence that things are going well. Sometimes I won’t see as much of the ball, but that means I’m luring my marker away [and leaving space] for others to make use of possession. It all depends on how the game goes.
Etiam erat velit scelerisque in dictum non. Dictum non consectetur a erat nam at. Scelerisque felis imperdiet proin fermentum leo. Nibh tortor id aliquet lectus proin nibh nisl. Nulla at volutpat diam ut venenatis. At urna condimentum mattis pellentesque id nibh tortor id aliquet. Leo a diam sollicitudin tempor id eu nisl nunc mi. Dui vivamus arcu felis bibendum ut. Pharetra convallis posuere morbi leo urna molestie. Adipiscing at in tellus integer feugiat scelerisque. In arcu cursus euismod quis. Dictum non consectetur a erat nam at lectus urna duis. Facilisi nullam vehicula ipsum a arcu cursus. At tempor commodo ullamcorper a lacus vestibulum sed arcu non. Ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing elit pellentesque habitant. Vitae sapien pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus. Eget nullam non nisi est sit amet facilisis. Ipsum consequat nisl vel pretium lectus quam. Elit sed vulputate mi sit amet mauris commodo quis. Pretium fusce id velit ut tortor pretium viverra suspendisse potenti.
Sometimes we tend to normalise things, and sometimes things come along that you didn't expect or even imagine you could do with your club. If I take time to pause I can really appreciate what it means to play in the Champions League with the club at which I’ve been my whole career. It means a lot, especially because I did it with people I’ve been playing and working with for years. I looked around and I said to myself: 'Wow, these guys were with me five years ago in the reserve team'. I'm very proud of that.
Yes. I was a ball boy against Manchester United, I remember that really clearly. I really admired the team back then and the feeling of actually getting to play in such games is hard to put into words. There was a certain amount of envy, because you’re hoping one day you’ll get your chance. I was really young but I was always thinking about playing in that competition.
I hope that this season isn’t just a one-off, just one for the history books, just something that happens every ten years. We have to take a step forward and we have to keep up our standards so that we’re able to make the Champions League again and again. Apart from enjoying the experience and learning from it, we’re capable of going one step further, and to at least make it through the group stage. It’s a very tough group and we’re aware of that, but we’ve already shown that we can do impressive things.
One thing I pay a lot of attention to is how the opposition press, because depending on how they press we act in one way or another, being aware of who is free around us. Then I just try to let things flow on the pitch. I don't think too much, I try to let everything come out naturally and that's it. Positioning is a key factor in our game. Having the ball is important, it gives me peace of mind and confidence that things are going well. Sometimes I won’t see as much of the ball, but that means I’m luring my marker away [and leaving space] for others to make use of possession. It all depends on how the game goes.
Yes, and many coaches are former academy players. This motivates you further to pay close attention to them because they’ve had this experience. I feel lucky to have had Imanol [Alguacil] as coach, and also Xabi Alonso when I was in the reserve team. I really look up to them.
He was important to me because he joined in a season in which I wanted to play more minutes. When he joined, I got the chance to play in the starting XI. I really connected with him and I felt that he appreciated me and really wanted me to improve. It was an important season.
He was physically strong. He wasn’t very pacy but made up for it with his tackling skills. His sliding tackles were great. His short passing was really good and he was also able to play the final ball. I really admire him for that.
It meant a lot. Both of them are highly respected, because of how they play but mostly because of what they’re like as people. They’re some of the best players we’ve had here. It makes you feel proud. People from Gipúzkoa have pretty strong characters. We all have similar traits and seeing that they're enjoying themselves and achieving great things in professional football is awesome.
Sometimes we tend to normalise things, and sometimes things come along that you didn't expect or even imagine you could do with your club. If I take time to pause I can really appreciate what it means to play in the Champions League with the club at which I’ve been my whole career. It means a lot, especially because I did it with people I’ve been playing and working with for years. I looked around and I said to myself: 'Wow, these guys were with me five years ago in the reserve team'. I'm very proud of that.
Yes. I was a ball boy against Manchester United, I remember that really clearly. I really admired the team back then and the feeling of actually getting to play in such games is hard to put into words. There was a certain amount of envy, because you’re hoping one day you’ll get your chance. I was really young but I was always thinking about playing in that competition.
I hope that this season isn’t just a one-off, just one for the history books, just something that happens every ten years. We have to take a step forward and we have to keep up our standards so that we’re able to make the Champions League again and again. Apart from enjoying the experience and learning from it, we’re capable of going one step further, and to at least make it through the group stage. It’s a very tough group and we’re aware of that, but we’ve already shown that we can do impressive things.
One thing I pay a lot of attention to is how the opposition press, because depending on how they press we act in one way or another, being aware of who is free around us. Then I just try to let things flow on the pitch. I don't think too much, I try to let everything come out naturally and that's it. Positioning is a key factor in our game. Having the ball is important, it gives me peace of mind and confidence that things are going well. Sometimes I won’t see as much of the ball, but that means I’m luring my marker away [and leaving space] for others to make use of possession. It all depends on how the game goes.
Etiam erat velit scelerisque in dictum non. Dictum non consectetur a erat nam at. Scelerisque felis imperdiet proin fermentum leo. Nibh tortor id aliquet lectus proin nibh nisl. Nulla at volutpat diam ut venenatis. At urna condimentum mattis pellentesque id nibh tortor id aliquet. Leo a diam sollicitudin tempor id eu nisl nunc mi. Dui vivamus arcu felis bibendum ut. Pharetra convallis posuere morbi leo urna molestie. Adipiscing at in tellus integer feugiat scelerisque. In arcu cursus euismod quis. Dictum non consectetur a erat nam at lectus urna duis. Facilisi nullam vehicula ipsum a arcu cursus. At tempor commodo ullamcorper a lacus vestibulum sed arcu non. Ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing elit pellentesque habitant. Vitae sapien pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus. Eget nullam non nisi est sit amet facilisis. Ipsum consequat nisl vel pretium lectus quam. Elit sed vulputate mi sit amet mauris commodo quis. Pretium fusce id velit ut tortor pretium viverra suspendisse potenti.
