Hleb: "I'm speaking Russian with Toure"

Barcelona player Alexander Hleb gave an nterview to Catalan newspaper El Periódico.





How do you feel six months after your arrival?
Little by little I'm feeling better. I had to deal with a lot of changes. Everything was new: the team, the language, the atmosphere. It hasn't been easy but I got a lot of help. I try to learn and to find my place in the group.

Footballwise?
No, I'm not refering to adapting to the level of the game, but to the fact of understanding the style, knowing how everything works around here. It's very different compared to what I have known at Arsenal and I need some time. That's normal. And above that, I didn't play for a month because of an injury.

Are you coming close to reaching your best level?
Not yet. I need to feel more confident, have good feelings on the pitch and certainty about what I have to do. I need more games and more training sessions.

That's the biggest difficulty?
No. The language is. I have a hard time learning it. As for the rest, I like everything about Barcelona: the city, the food is incredible, the climate... People here enjoy life more. I'm having a normal life here, relaxed. I often go to the city. I'm very happy. Playing alongside people like Xavi, Messi, Iniesta, Henry, Puyol, Márquez is something very big. I want to play more, but I'm satisfied with my work. I know it's not easy for the coach. He has to choose between 22 great players.

With whom do you connect best?
I get along with everyone, but a little better with those who speak English, like Henry, Gudjohnsen, Márquez, Abidal... With Touré, I'm speaking Russian. He really talks it very well. It surprised me a lot to hear that an Ivorian knew Russian.

You understand that the coach is rotating so that everyone can play?
Yes, you accept it. It's normal that everyone wants to play. We all need minutes and rhythm to reach our best level.

Guardiola says you can play at the five attacking positions. What's your favourite one?
When I was younger, I used to splay as second striker, behind the centre forward. When I played for Arsenal, I learnt to play on the right and the left wing. If I could choose, I prefer to play as attacking midfielder, but if the coach wants me to play on the wing, that's no problem. It's the same which wing. The problem there is that you're sometimes five minutes without touching the ball.

It's striking how you are able to use both legs on the pitch.
When playing, I have the same confidence in both of them. I'm right-footed but when I was six years old, my father made me practice with my left foot.


This was the first part of this interview. You'll be able to read the second part here in the coming days with Hleb talking -among other things- about his youth in the USSR and his lack of scoring.

Read more:
Hleb: "The atmosphere at the stadium was great"
Touré: "That goal was a bit lucky"
Xavi: "How did this happen?!"