Jeremy Mathieu, a former Barcelona defender, has gone back to one of the most significant periods of his career.
The Frenchman discussed his 2014 transfer to Barça, his concerns prior to joining, and the memorable experiences he had at Camp Nou while speaking on the SafePlay program (h/t SPORT).
Mathieu joined Barcelona after a successful stint at Valencia, where he rose to the position of captain and important player.
The pivotal moment occurred when Luis Enrique personally approached him following a game. Mathieu recalled what the Spanish coach had told him during their initial encounter.
“I love how you play. And if I’m the coach, I want you on the team,” revealed the former defender.
See Also: Barcelona Ahead Of Real Madrid, Bayern In UEFA’s Revenue Ranking
At the time, Luis Enrique had not yet officially taken charge of Barcelona.
“I didn’t want to say to him: wait, because you’re not the Barcelona coach yet. I thought: let’s see if he sells me a dream and then he’s not there,” he noted.
Mathieu spoke directly with Valencia prior to the deal being finalized since Barcelona were offering him a €200,000 annual pay boost.
He informed the club that he would stay if they matched that offer. Valencia declined, citing their inability to pay the increase.
“If they gave me that, I would stay. They told me they couldn’t, so I left,” he revealed.
Then followed the shocking remark that went viral. During the interview, Mathieu smiled and boldly asserted something.
“I think I was a better free-kick taker than Messi,” he added.
COMMENTS