In an interview with Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona attacker Alexander Hleb talked about his first months at the club.
At Arsenal you played together with your friend Cesc and here you have Xavi and Iniesta...
Xavi and Iniesta are also excellent players. Xavi seems to have an extra eye. It's incredible how he controls everything. And Iniesta has an wonderful vision and, like Xavi, a lot of other outstanding qualities. Regarding to Cesc, we have a good relationshup both on and off the pitch. For me, he's like a brother. We call each other a lot to talk about daily stuff. He says he misses me in Arsenal and, without wanting to offend anyone, I would be delighted if he could come to Barcelona so we could share all of this.
But will Cesc return one day to Barcelona? Will you be able to convince him to leave London?
I keep insisting that he should come back to Barcelona and he doesn't stop insisting that he's very comfortable at Arsenal and with Arsène Wenger. I won't stop harassing him until he changes his opinion. Let's see if he follows my advice, I think it would be great for Barcelona.
Like Henry, you changed from working under Arsène Wenger to working under Guardiola.
Wenger will always be a special coach for me. I owe him a lot and I see him as a father. I'm only working with Guardiola for a few months but he's also treating me very well. He doesn't stop motivating me and pushing me to get better. You cannot compare them. Wenger has a large experience at the highest level while Guardiola is Barcelona's first team coach with only 37 years. That makes you respect him but on the other hand you think: how much pressure this man has to deal with! I couldn't say who of the two is more addicted to football. I think both equally.
What is your best position?
It's not a secret that I feel most comfortable at the position I played with Arsenal, meaning playing behind the strikers, at the right or the left. But I don't have any problems to play where Guardiola wants me to play. I feel more and more comforable and integrated.
What are your friends asking you about Barcelona?
They want to know more about Messi, how things are with Henry or what kind of person Eto'o is. And they don't stop asking me shirts and signatures. I have to say that I've discovered Thierry here in Barcelona. When we were together at Arsenal we didn't have a very close relationship. He has treated me very well, like all the others. I'm sure that we'll do great things together.
Xavi and Iniesta are also excellent players. Xavi seems to have an extra eye. It's incredible how he controls everything. And Iniesta has an wonderful vision and, like Xavi, a lot of other outstanding qualities. Regarding to Cesc, we have a good relationshup both on and off the pitch. For me, he's like a brother. We call each other a lot to talk about daily stuff. He says he misses me in Arsenal and, without wanting to offend anyone, I would be delighted if he could come to Barcelona so we could share all of this.
But will Cesc return one day to Barcelona? Will you be able to convince him to leave London?
I keep insisting that he should come back to Barcelona and he doesn't stop insisting that he's very comfortable at Arsenal and with Arsène Wenger. I won't stop harassing him until he changes his opinion. Let's see if he follows my advice, I think it would be great for Barcelona.
Like Henry, you changed from working under Arsène Wenger to working under Guardiola.
Wenger will always be a special coach for me. I owe him a lot and I see him as a father. I'm only working with Guardiola for a few months but he's also treating me very well. He doesn't stop motivating me and pushing me to get better. You cannot compare them. Wenger has a large experience at the highest level while Guardiola is Barcelona's first team coach with only 37 years. That makes you respect him but on the other hand you think: how much pressure this man has to deal with! I couldn't say who of the two is more addicted to football. I think both equally.
What is your best position?
It's not a secret that I feel most comfortable at the position I played with Arsenal, meaning playing behind the strikers, at the right or the left. But I don't have any problems to play where Guardiola wants me to play. I feel more and more comforable and integrated.
What are your friends asking you about Barcelona?
They want to know more about Messi, how things are with Henry or what kind of person Eto'o is. And they don't stop asking me shirts and signatures. I have to say that I've discovered Thierry here in Barcelona. When we were together at Arsenal we didn't have a very close relationship. He has treated me very well, like all the others. I'm sure that we'll do great things together.
This was the third and last part of this interview.
You can read the previous parts of here:
You can read the previous parts of here:
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3 comments:
Great interview, really interesting the three parts! Changed my view about him.
He seems to be very enthusiastic about this project.
Seems to be a nice fella.
great buy..very talented!!!however i think he should stop disrespecting his formal employers with this non stop talk about Cesc. Barca will be quite fine without Cesc. he said it himself Xavi hernadez has three eyes just like Andres...
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