Bojan: "There's still a lot left to learn"

Barcelona player Bojan Krkic gave an interview to Catalan sports paper Sport.





Your teammates keep on saying that, when seeing you, they want to protect you. What do you think about that?
I don't think they're saying it because they see me as helpless, I suppose it's because I'm the youngest member of the squad, maybe therefore it seems that I need to be protected. But there are also a lot of moments where they protect each other. It's just something people observe from the outside, within the dressingroom we're all equal.

Pep Guardiola has also insisted that he wanted to protect you, but he's doing that by not giving you a lot of minutes...
One day he also was a young player so he has experience with this kind of situations, I suppose he wants to get it through to me.

In the game against Valencia, Samuel Eto'o directly ran to the bench to celebrate his goal with you. Keita also ran towards the substitutes against Villarreal. Is there some order to do that?
No, it was coincidence. Against Valencia I was the first to get off the bench and he came running our way and we hugged. Since the goal is far away from the bench, it's not usual we celebrate like this.

You're 18 years old, you have a good contract, your future is looking bright... What do you worry about right now?
I'm not worrying about any sporting issue. The team is doing great and the only thing I should do is continue to grow, as a player and as a person. There's still a lot left to learn, which is normal since I'm only 18 years old.

In what way do you resemble a normal 18 years old boy?
When I'm not training or playing, I lead a normal life. I try to disconnect from the world of football and hang out with my friends. I still go to school. I can't study a lot but I watch out not to lose the rhythm bacause I would like to study sport sciences next year. Besides that, I go out with friends, we're gonna drink something, watch a movie... I sure don't have afternoons off because I'm at school or training or playing a game.

Isn't it annoying to do normal things knowing that everybody will recognize you?
You have to get used to that kind of life. I would also like to change some things, but it's not possible and you have to accept it. If I'm lucky and I can keep on growing as a player, it will always be like this and the sooner I adapt to that life, the better.

You have some tricks to not getting recognized?
In the beginning I put on a cap, but you soon become aware that people recognize you anyhow, so the best thing is to behavve normally. Until now, people have respected me. I only remember one meeting with a group of boys, who went a bit wild and made me feel a little uncomfortable. I guess people sometimes get a little mad when they see us because that could be the one time they are seeing their idol. But most of us feel like a normal person, so you can get somewhat uncomfortable.

You've become more paranoid since you became famous?
The truth is that I'm getting aware that maybe there are people who never greeted me and who are now behaving totally different. But it has always been clear to me that there are very little people who really like me and vice versa. I nonetheless respect all people I get to know. My parents are greatly responsible for that.

You have some advice to survive at Barça?
Yes, you have to have a lot of patience because it's very difficult and everything can easily slip away.


This was the second and last part of this interview, you can read the first part here:
Bojan: "I want to keep on growing here"

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Bojan: "I'm waiting for my moment"