Dani Garcia: The only way to stop Messi is to foul; don’t compare Yamal to Messi

Hupu News on October 21 Recently, on the eve of the Champions League match against Barcelona, ​​former Athletic Bilbao player and current Olympiacos midfielder Dani Garcia accepted an interview with AS.

Are you excited to face Barcelona and Real Madrid in the Champions League?

Honestly, I told my wife when the draw came out that I was a bit tired of playing against Barcelona and Real Madrid... but in Athens it was definitely a big deal.

Maybe you would rather play against Athletic Bilbao

Most importantly, I would have liked them to come here and feel the atmosphere of our stadium. Like San Mamés, it is a magnificent stadium where football is full of passion. If it were possible, it would be a reunion between the two fans.

You have had many confrontations with Barcelona. Once you defeated them in the Super Cup on behalf of Bilbao, and you also caused Messi's first red card in 753 games with Barcelona...

If you want to stop Messi, you can only foul... But that red card has nothing to do with me, right?

What are your memories of those games?

You always remember good things, it’s true that there were games where you could barely touch the ball, but we also beat them in the Super Cup, eliminated them in the Copa del Rey with San Mamés, and in the league we won 1-0 in Bilbao, almost thanks to Aduriz’s world-beating goal at the last minute...

Knowing that you are leaving, you would rather let the fans say goodbye to Raul Garcia and Muniain, and leave in a more low-key manner

I don't need a grand farewell, I have already made a decision, because I did not receive a call from Athletic Bilbao to renew my contract. When I saw that there was no movement, I decided to act a little early. It was a farewell day for Raul and a true icon like Muniain.

As a fan of Athletic Bilbao, what does it mean to you that Nico staying on the team means to you?

I think it's very important for the future it means the club has a plan and sends a very strong message to the younger kids. It may not be obvious from the outside, but Athletic Bilbao is a very important institution in Bilbao, and Nico's stay in the team is an inspiration to the children who dream of playing for Athletic Bilbao one day.

You said before that Messi can only be stopped by fouling. Do you think Yamal has reached that level?

Not yet, and I don't think comparing him to Messi will do him any good, his career has just begun.

People talk a lot about Yamal on the court, but he also attracts much attention off the court. Is it too noisy?

Of all those claims, you can only believe half of them. He needs people around him to protect him and give him good advice, he is already a world-class player.

Can you see the end of your career? What do you plan to do in the future?

I still go to every training with the same enthusiasm, the same passion. I don’t see an end in sight, although you do plan for the future. Sometimes I envisioned myself becoming a coach, and sometimes I dismissed the idea. I love football, but it's a complicated world and I missed a lot of things, time with friends. You would think that in some cases, you didn't even get to attend their wedding. And family members, they suffer when you are not around. You see them very little, you train intensively for five days and then again... At the moment, we are happy here, but when the time comes, everything has to be considered.

Do you like Flick's Barcelona?

Last season they played very attractive football, always attacking, and I still think they are very strong.

What kind of Olympiacos would you like to see in Barcelona?

A team that can compete, just like the day against Arsenal. We lost 0-2 in the end, but we persisted until the end and competed, and we will work hard.