Tuesday 30 June 2009

Henrique: "I feel ready for Barca"

Bayer Leverkusen central defender and Barcelona loan out Henrique (22) gave an interview to Catalan sports paper Sport.





How is your holiday break going?
Very well. I'm very happy. It's been a year since I signed with Barca and now I'm feeling satisfaction after a very positive experience at Bayer Leverkusen. I'm resting, but my head is completely concentrated on Barca.

Will we see you with Barca in July?
It all depends on what the club says to my representative this week. I'm calm. Right now I'm thinking about being in Barcelona on the 20th to begin the pre-season. It's my greatest wish.

Are you aware that you could be loaned for another year?
I think that it would still be important to play the pre-season with Barca, so I can be with the team and so Pep Guardiola could see me. I think that it would be great for my career to have this opportunity.

But, how would you handle another loan?
I want to stay, but if the club decides to loan me it would be with good intentions. There wouldn't be a problem.

Where would you like to end up?
If it's not Barca, I would probably like to play with any team in the Spanish league, but we'll see, I still hope to stay with this club and begin the pre-season.

Do you feel ready to become a part of the post-treble Barca?
It's obvious, and I say it with all the humbleness in the world. I'm much more prepared now than I was a year ago when I signed and then the club decided to loan me to Leverkusen.

How have you grown in Germany?
In many aspects, but most importantly in a physical perspective. I learned much about how European football functions. Also, by living abroad I grew and matured much as a person. Playing in the Bundesliga has been a great life experience.

Are you a much stronger person now?
Yes, in many ways, especially physically. I made a personal fitness plan and I gained 5 and a half kilos of muscle mass. German football requires much strength, and you get hit, so I learned to play against constant contact.

translated by: al


this was the first part of this interview, you will be able to read the second part in the coming days.

Read more:
Henrique could be included in Bruno Alves deal
Galatasaray interested in four Barcelona players
Will Henrique return from loan?

12 comments:

HH said...

Where would you like to end up?
If it's not Barca, I would probably like to play with any team in the Spanish league, but we'll see, I still hope to stay with this club and begin the pre-season.

He should have said:
If it's not Barca, I would probably like to play with any team in the Spanish league___EXCEPT REAL MADRID___ , but we'll see, I still hope to stay with this club and begin the pre-season.

;-)

KluivertsBoots said...

Classy player. I'd be surprised if he's not playing with Barca next year given our issues in defense. Pique, Alves and Abidal are the only truly reliable players physically. Puyol is reliable, but he is getting older. Marquez can be injured easily and we can't expect Milito to improve. Caceres needs time. I really like Henrique. I think he would work out great if we keep him.

Mahi said...

Yea KluivertsBoots... He should stay. he is very good back up and i feel with in one or two years he become a good player.

Martin Engelin said...

This guy has his mind on the right place. He is profesional and I think Barca can use him alot next season, both as CB and RB. He knows he wont take place in the first 11 but he is a guy who always fights for his place in the team and who never gives up.

R10FCB said...

I like his attitude, very professional and by this interview he is ready to give it all to play for barca. with that mentality he will be a good addition to the squad. hope he plays next season.

Anonymous said...

This guy played with Keirrison in Coritiba. They were probably two of the most important players in the team that won promotion to the Serie A.

sashi said...

every answer he says he would love to get back to Barca. this is the sort of fresh blood that we need to inject in the team and not necessarily any new signings. hope he starts pre-season with us and Pep is impressed with his performance.

etoto said...

Henrique and Pique can form a wall in our C!! Especially effective in CL :D

Rory said...

wait...he can back up RB (or is it just that he allows Puyol to back up RB because he can play CB). Either way, I don't see why the team doesn't use him as depth with 70+ games next season!

Flippy said...

Rory, he can back up for RB, CB, and LB, because he is neither left-footed or right-footed, but both. Thus, he provides excellent cover for the defense.

peter said...

Bring him to Barca!

Anonymous said...

A great attitude, like our other young brazilian keirrison, he really wants to play for Barca and prove what a player he is. Thanks to Flippy, didn't realise he was two footed, thats a bonus for us.

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