Puyol: "Tattoos are one of my passions"

Barcelona player Carles Puyol gave an interview to Catalan sports paper Sport.





The training sessions have moved to the sports complex. What do you think about that?
I truly think it's a good thing, I'm delighted. I think that a club like Barça needs a place like that and I'm convinced it will be good for us.

With all those games, it seems that the team takes the cup like the minor of the three competitions...
We cannot take anything lightly and even less after two years without winning anything. Every title is important and you have to fight for all of them with the same spirit. It has been a long time since Barça has won the Copa or even reached the final, although we have come close over the last seasons. In the dressing-room we think it's a very important competition.

The system of the competition should be changed to make it more attractive?
They have tried some things but I think for us it's attractive and important the way it is. If you play one game the smaller teams will have better chances but for them it also has an advantage to do it like this since they now have the chance to play a game in the Camp Nou or the Bernabéu.

Barça has a psychological advantage these days in the sense that the opponents are scared or is it an added pressure for the team?
We've always had to win. When you are as strong as we are this season, the opponents respect you more. It has been the same in the past. In general, the bigger teams are more respected although the rivals are also more motivated.

You seem to be a balanced and calm person. Does that has something to do with your relationship with Tibet?
There are things about the culture and the religion that I like a lot. Besides that I am close with the members of the Tibetan house in Barcelona.

Do you meditate?
I've tried it several times but it's very difficult. For now I'm just doing some exercises to relax and I look for peaceful moments, but it's complicated to make my head totally empty.

You also have the image of being hard and solid.
I'm surely not insensitive. I have some memories that make me cry.

Are you superstitious?
Well, when I step on the pitch, I always do it with my right foot and I don't touch the lines.

You have any passions outside football?
I admit that I'm addicted to my mobile phone. New York and tattoos are two of my other secret passions. Now I have five tattoos, all on places where you can hide them. The last time I had three on the same day and next time I'll have some more. I want some symbols of Polynesia and Tibet. I'll look for a free day to put them.

Why did you launch your own line of watches, CP5?
So I don't get late.


This was the third and last part of this interview. Read the previous parts here:
Puyol: "At the end, the best team always wins"
Puyol: "Leo is above the rest"